Duke, QB Darian Mensah reach settlement to resolve legal fight over his transfer

By Canadian Press on January 27, 2026.

Duke and Darian Mensah have reached a settlement in their legal fight over the quarterback’s plan to transfer.

The school and Mensah’s agency released statements Tuesday confirming a deal. That came roughly a week after Duke filed a lawsuit seeking to block Mensah’s efforts to transfer and reach a contract with another school to play elsewhere next season.

Mensah, who transferred from Tulane and led the Blue Devils to an unexpected Atlantic Coast Conference title last month, had signed a two-season contract in July 2025 running through 2026 that paid him for exclusive rights to market his name, image and likeness tied to playing college football.

“We are committed to fulfilling all promises and obligations Duke makes to our student-athletes when we enter into contractual agreements with them, and we expect the same in return,” the school said in a statement. “Enforcing those agreements is a necessary element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs.

“It is nonetheless a difficult choice to pursue legal action against a student and teammate; for this reason we sought to resolve the matter fairly and quickly.

Young Money APAA Sports, which represents Mensah, said the agency had “successfully navigated an unprecedented path, one that has now reached a fair and mutally agreeable resolution.”

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Aaron Beard, The Associated Press