The lawyers got involved and the divorce can be finalized.
Quarterback Darian Mensah and Duke University agreed to settle their legal dispute after the school sued him over his Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract to facilitate his transfer, according to ESPN.
Mensah reportedly is expected to join Miami after its loss in the College Football Playoff championship game to Indiana.
“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, which represents Mensah, said in a statement.
The NIL era has changed the collegiate landscape, and more and more of these situations are arising since players can sign paying contracts.
Mensah originally agreed to an $8 million deal over two years to join the Blue Devils after a breakout season with Tulane in his redshirt freshman year.
Mensah posted strong numbers for the Blue Devils this year, throwing 34 touchdowns to six interceptions with 3,973 passing yards while leading to the ACC Championship — though not a spot in the College Football Playoff.
He announced in December he would be returning to the school after exploring the NFL draft.
“This year was everything to me,” Mensah posted to Instagram at the time, per ESPN. “This team, this locker room, this family welcomed me with open arms. When the odds were against us, we kept fighting. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.”
Fast forward one month and it seems Mensah received more than the world since he reversed his decision and entered the transfer portal, submitting paperwork on Jan. 16, per ESPN.
“I’m forever grateful for Duke and the coaching staff. Thank you Duke family for everything,” Mensah posted to X. “This wasn’t an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it’s in my best interest to enter the transfer portal.”
Duke countered with a Jan. 20 lawsuit in an attempt to prevent his move, with the school stating that its pact with Mensah afforded exclusive NIL rights for him playing college football, per The Associated Press.
The school reportedly pursued a temporary restraining order and blocked him from coming to terms on a new deal with another school since they claimed arbitration would have to proceed such a move.
“This case arises out of the decision of a star quarterback in the increasingly complex world of college athletics,” the school’s complaint stated, per the AP.
“But at its core, this is a simple case that involves the integrity of contracts.”
A preliminary injunction reportedly had been set for Thursday before the sides agreed to settle the matter.
“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 in a statement Tuesday, per ESPN. “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.”
Mensah will replace Carson Beck after he guided the Hurricanes to the title game after leading Duke to a 9-5 record this past season.
ESPN ranked him the No. 5 player in this transfer class.