Mensah reportedly is expected to join Miami after its loss in the College Football Playoff championship game to Indiana.<\/p>\n
![\"Darian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/darian-mensah-10-duke-blue-116908917_b24305.jpg\")
Darian Mensah is expected to join Miami. Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough close collaboration and principled negotiation, we have successfully navigated an unprecedented path, one that has now reached a fair and mutually agreeable resolution,\u201d Young Money APAA Sports, which represents Mensah, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The NIL era has changed the collegiate landscape, and more and more of these situations are arising since players can sign paying contracts.<\/p>\n
Mensah originally agreed to an $8 million deal over two years to join the Blue Devils<\/a> after a breakout season with Tulane in his redshirt freshman year.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 though not a spot in the College Football Playoff.<\/p>\n He announced in December he would be returning to the school after exploring the NFL draft.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year was everything to me,\u201d Mensah posted to Instagram at the time, per ESPN<\/a>. \u201cThis team, this locker room, this family welcomed me with open arms. When the odds were against us, we kept fighting. I wouldn\u2019t trade any of it for the world.\u201d<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m forever grateful for Duke and the coaching staff. Thank you Duke family for everything,\u201d Mensah posted to X. \u201cThis wasn\u2019t an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it\u2019s in my best interest to enter the transfer portal.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case arises out of the decision of a star quarterback in the increasingly complex world of college athletics,\u201d the school\u2019s complaint stated, per the AP.<\/p>\n \u201cBut at its core, this is a simple case that involves the integrity of contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n A preliminary injunction reportedly had been set for Thursday before the sides agreed to settle the matter.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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,\u201d Duke said in a statement Tuesday<\/a>, per ESPN. \u201cEnforcing 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n![\"Carson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/carson-beck-11-miami-hurricanes-119262809.jpg\")
Carson Beck led Miami to the CFP title game. Getty Images<\/p>\n