Duke settles with former QB Darian Mensah after contract dispute

Duke settles with former QB Darian Mensah after contract dispute originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Duke and quarterback Darian Mensah have reached a settlement that allows his transfer from the school, his agency, Young Money APAA, announced late Monday.

The agreement ends Duke’s lawsuit against Mensah and clears the path for the quarterback to enter the transfer portal and enroll elsewhere. The expectation is that Mensah will transfer to Miami and take over for the exiting Carson Beck.

Mensah and the Blue Devils had been in settlement talks for the past five days. Duke filed suit in Durham Superior Court after Mensah announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on the final day of the window, Jan. 16. A judge granted a temporary restraining order that allowed Mensah to enter the portal but barred him from enrolling at a new school ahead of a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for Feb. 2.

Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Mensah signed a multiyear NIL contract with Duke Blue Devils in July 2024 that was believed to be worth approximately $4 million annually.

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

Mensah had filed an emergency motion last week seeking reconsideration of the temporary restraining order, citing looming enrollment deadlines at other institutions. 

“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,” Duke said. “Enforcing those agreements is a necessary element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs.”

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Mensah threw for 3,646 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2025, leading Duke to an ACC championship. His passing yards ranked third nationally and first in the ACC.

He transferred to Duke in December 2024 from Tulane, where he threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns in a breakout redshirt freshman season. After initially announcing his return for 2026, Mensah will now leave Durham after one season.

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