There won’t be an answer to if the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft QB Brendan Sorsby this year. The NFL has denied Sorsby’s bid applying for this year’s Supplemental Draft and the event won’t be held this season.
Though it was assumed Sorsby would be accepted, the NFL has to formally grant any player entry into the Supplemental Draft. As Mike Garafolo points out, the league has “sole discretion” and can deny players.
Sources: The NFL has informed Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby there will be no supplemental draft this year, rendering him ineligible to play in the league this season.
The league told Sorsby it is the NFL’s “sole discretion” whether to hold a draft. There will be none in 2026. pic.twitter.com/vOd6Koqhnt
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 23, 2026
The last Supplemental Draft was held in 2023 with no players selected. The last Supplemental Draft player taken was S Jalen Thompson by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019.
Had he been accepted into the draft, Sorsby was expected to be picked. The question revolved around who would take him and where. And for Pittsburgh, if Sorsby’s talent outweighed his gambling scandal and the Steelers already having two young, developmental quarterbacks on the roster in Will Howard and Drew Allar. Beat writers were confident Pittsburgh would pass but now, that seems to be a moot point.
It’s unclear where Sorsby could turn next. He could, in theory, challenge the NFL’s decision through the court system. He could try to restart his bid to return to college football, though his lawyers dropped the injunction in order to be eligible for the Supplemental Draft. Sorsby could try a different league, potentially playing in the UFL next spring in order to put on tape for scouts.
Per Mike Garafolo, the NFL encouraged Sorsby to prepare for the 2027 NFL Draft.
From NFL general counsel Lawrence Ferazani to Brendan Sorsby: "By all accounts, you are a talented player with the potential for future success. We encourage you to focus on preparing for possible entry into the NFL through the 2027 NFL Annual Draft." https://t.co/cdxU46xQYm
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 23, 2026
Sorsby’s counsel, Jeffrey Kessler, told Yahoo Sports Sorsby intends to fight the NFL and “pursue the player’s rights with the NFLPA,” the player’s union. That’s seemingly a difficult fight for Sorsby to win, especially in a timeline before training camp opens in less than one month for some NFL teams.
Brendan Sorsby's counsel, Jeffrey Kessler, tells @YahooSports that the NFL's decision "is a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and we intend to pursue the player’s rights with the NFLPA."
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 23, 2026
Next year’s class has the potential to be full of top quarterback talent. Sorsby may ultimately be part of that group, though he would be battling stiff competition to be the first quarterback selected.
Sorsby was slated to hold a workout for teams on July 10 at a Texas high school.
Per Albert Breer, here is the full letter the NFL sent to Sorsby, outlining an incomplete submission that did not address key questions as a basis for his denial. The league also cited “integrity” as an issue and Sorsby’s lack of response for his gambling scandal, and how he would make amends going forward, as other reasons why the NFL did not accept him.
His late attempted entry, days before June 22nd’s deadline, was also a factor in the league being unable to properly review his case and situation.
The NFL has decline Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby's application to enter the supplemental draft. @SINow has obtained the letter the league sent to Sorsby to inform him of the decision.
Here the text of it … pic.twitter.com/q3C8rfCSEn
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) June 23, 2026
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