Duke University has filed a lawsuit against quarterback Darian Mensah aiming to halt his attempts to transfer and sign a contract with another school to continue his college football career next season. The complaint was submitted to the Durham County Superior Court on Monday, following Mensah's unexpected decision to backtrack on his earlier declaration to return to the Blue Devils after spearheading their Atlantic Coast Conference title run.
The lawsuit asserts that Duke’s binding two-year contract with Mensah, inked in July 2025 and extending through the 2026 season, grants the university exclusive rights to market the quarterback’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) associated with playing college football at Duke. Based on this agreement, Duke seeks a temporary restraining order to impede Mensah from entering the NCAA transfer portal and to obstruct any further steps towards engaging with a different program. The university’s legal filing argues that the contract mandates that any disputes undergo arbitration prior to litigation or other resolution methods.
“This case arises out of the decision of a star quarterback in the increasingly complex world of college athletics,” the complaint explains. “But at its core, this is a simple case that involves the integrity of contracts.”
In correspondence with the Associated Press, sports-law attorney Darren Heitner—who has been involved in representation for Mensah—confirmed that the court denied Duke’s initial request for a temporary restraining order blocking Mensah from accessing the transfer portal. However, Heitner later conveyed via social media that Mensah is currently prohibited from enrolling or competing at another institution until the presiding judge issues a ruling following the upcoming hearing scheduled for February 2.
Mensah, who originally transferred to Duke from Tulane University and even competed against his former team, delivered an outstanding performance last season. He ranked second nationally in the Football Bowl Subdivision by amassing 3,973 passing yards and tied for second with 34 touchdown passes.
The current legal confrontation between Mensah and Duke reflects a broader trend emerging in college sports’ evolving NIL and revenue-sharing landscape. Increasingly, student-athletes pursuing transfers face contractual disputes with their current institutions. For instance, earlier this month, Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. contemplated a transfer but reversed that decision amid rumors of legal action regarding his NIL contract. Similarly, in December, Missouri pass rusher Damon Wilson II initiated litigation alleging that Georgia’s athletic department was unlawfully penalizing him for entering the transfer portal in January 2025.