Duke Reaches Settlement With Darian Mensah

The Duke football program and quarterback Darian Mensah have reached a settlement on the lawsuit filed by the University after Mensah's last-second announcement to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal. The hearing was scheduled to take place on Jan. 29, but the two parties have agreed to settle outside of court.

Darren Heitner, Mensah's attorney, told ESPN that he and the rest of Mensah's legal team were looking to expedite the original preliminary injunction hearing that was scheduled for Feb. 2, as NCAA enrollment rules could have eventually caused issues for Mensah if this case took too long.

"Through close collaboration and principled negotiation, we have successfully navigated an unprecedented path, one that has now reached a fair and mutually agreeable resolution," Young Money APAA Sports said in a statement.

"With that foundation in place, we are pleased to announce that Darian Mensah, supported by our team of legal counsel and Young Money APAA Sports, has reached a settlement agreement with Duke University."

NEWS: Darian Mensah and Duke have reached a settlement. https://t.co/KMppwI9zA7
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 27, 2026

Where Did This Lawsuit Originate From?

Duke University filed a lawsuit against Mensah after the rising redshirt junior announced his intentions to hit the NCAA Transfer Portal just about a month after announcing he would return to Duke for the 2026 campaign.

After the 2024 season, Duke signed Mensah to a two-year NIL contract worth an estimated $7.5 million. The Blue Devils eventually sued Mensah, saying he broke the details of that contract and had done irreparable harm to the program.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

With Mensah's entering the portal just hours before the entry window was set to close on Jan. 16, that obviously put the Duke program in an extremely difficult spot, especially considering he had previously announced his plans to return to Durham already.

Miami quickly emerged as the school to watch for Mensah, which was rumored to offer the San Luis Obispo, CA native a lucrative deal to depart from the Duke program. Mensah is now officially leaving the Blue Devils and is expected to sign with the Hurricanes.

What Does This Mean for the Duke Program?

Mensah led the ACC in passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2025 and was likely entering the 2026 campaign as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and the best quarterback in the ACC.

With this last-second move, this left the Blue Devils in a total scramble to find his replacement.

Duke is expected to sign San José State transfer quarterback Walker Eget, who will likely be the team's starter in 2026.

Just a few weeks after having true College Football Playoff aspirations in 2026, Duke is now set back quite a bit with Mensah's departure.

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