Duke releases statement on Darian Mensah lawsuit, ongoing transfer dispute

Duke University has released a statement in the wake of Darian Mensah‘s attempt to enter the transfer portal. The program has engaged in legal action to protect its rights.

Mensah announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 16, after he had previously announced he’d be returning to Duke for the 2026 season. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Mensah was set to be in the second year of a contract with Duke that earned him $4 million annually.

Duke was obviously not happy about the recent development. Now it’s suing him in the state of North Carolina.

“Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor, and we expect he will do the same,” Duke’s statement Wednesday read. “The court-ordered temporary restraining order (TRO) issued yesterday ensures he does not violate his contract. The university is committed to supporting all of our student-athletes, while expecting each of them to abide by their contractual obligations.”

According to Dellenger, Duke is expected to abide by NCAA rules by entering Darian Mensah into the transfer portal soon. That said, the temporary restraining order prohibits Mensah from violating his agreement with the school and enrolling at another university and playing football.

He further notes that Duke has not entered formal negotiations with Mensah or his representatives over his contract. “The schools stands by the two-year deal it struck with the QB last year,” Dellenger wrote.

Darian Mensah transferred to Duke ahead of the 2025 season, arriving by way of Tulane. In his lone campaign with the Blue Devils, the signal caller completed 66.8% of his pass attempts for 3,973 total yards and 34 touchdowns, compared to six interceptions. Additionally, he recorded one rushing score.

For his efforts, he was named an All-ACC Second-Team selection. His individual statistics translated to win column as well. Duke posted a 9-4 overall record and won the ACC title for the first time since 1989.

Should Mensah resolve the temporary restraining order issue with Duke, Dellenger believes Miami is the most-likely transfer destination for him. Miami starting quarterback Carson Beck has no eligibility remaining after this season.

On3’s Nick Kosko also contributed to this report.