The Duke football team is facing a major roster crisis as star quarterback Darian Mensah has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal. This move comes as a total shock to the program, especially since Mensah had recently re-signed with Duke in December on a reported two-year, $8 million deal.
During his breakout 2025 season under head coach Manny Diaz, Mensah led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, leading the Blue Devils to their first conference title since 1989.
Despite appearing enthusiastic about his return just weeks ago, the redshirt junior is now seeking a new destination, leaving Duke in a desperate search for a new leader under center as the portal deadline looms.
The situation has quickly escalated into a legal confrontation between the athlete and the university. Pete Thamel shared a statement from Duke Athletics on X regarding the quarterback's status:
“Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor, and we expect he will do the same. 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.”
Duke’s legal filing argues that the university has fulfilled all its obligations under a multi-year agreement signed in July 2025, which grants the school exclusive rights to Mensah’s name, image, and likeness in the context of football and higher education.
While Duke initially attempted to prevent Mensah from entering the portal entirely, a judge recently denied that specific request, allowing his name to remain available to other programs.
This sudden departure has significant implications for the contract he signed upon transferring from Tulane, as the Blue Devils fight to protect their investment and uphold the terms of the agreement.
While the court has issued a temporary restraining order to address contractual violations, the future of the star signal-caller remains one of the most complex and high-stakes stories in the current transfer cycle.
