Demond Williams’ Transfer Saga: Agent Drops Him, School Prepares Lawsuit, QB Makes Final Decision

Just more than 48 hours since he announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal, Washington quarterback Demond Williams finally got some good advice from someone around him about his future. 

On Wednesday, Williams released a statement on social media proclaiming that it was in his best interest to look for somewhere else to play football next season. 

Immediately, this led to an enormous amount of backlash across college athletics, with multiple sources telling OutKick that Washington was putting together different legal strategies to make sure the school was covered from a contract standpoint. 

Five days ago, Williams had signed a new one-year deal with Washington, worth $4 million for the 2026 season. Then came the announcement on social media that he had decided to look for a different place to play. 

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This led to his agent, Doug Hendrickson, of the Wasserman Group to announce he was dropping Demond as a client on Thursday afternoon. It was following that announcement that NIL attorney Darren Heitner posted on social media that he was now representing Demond Williams in this ongoing process. 

As you can tell, this turned into a very messy situation for the Huskies quarterback, where the school was also prepared to go after liquidated damages that were outlined in his newly signed contract with Washington. 

Well, Thursday night, Demond Williams had a change of heart, which, according to sources, came when the quarterback and school administrators had conversations throughout the day. Washington could not have prevented Williams from leaving and enrolling at another school as a walk-on, but they did have a strong case to go after any future NIL revenue, which would have also meant he would've most likely owed a substantial buyout to the Huskies. 

According to sources, if Williams would have left Washington, he would have owed the Huskies the $4 million that his contract called for at Washington. Either he or his new school would have had to pay that amount. Also, his new school would have its revenue share pool reduced with a further financial penalty, per new House settlement guidelines.

"After thoughtful reflection with my family, I’m excited to announce that I will continue my football journey at the University of Washington. I am deeply grateful to my coaches, teammates, and everyone in the program for fostering an environment where I can thrive both as an athlete and as an individual."

Washington Athletic Director Makes His Point With Statement

As for AD Patrick Chun, he was more direct in his statement released on Thursday night regarding Williams deciding to stay at Washington. 

"The past 48 hours have underscored just how complex and challenging the current college athletics environment has become," Chun said. "What has transpired has been difficult for all parties involved and is emblematic of many of the current issues in college sports. 

"It is critical in this post-House, revenue-sharing environment that contracts with student-athletes are not only enforced but respected by everyone within the college sports ecosystem."

The Huskies athletic director would also thank Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti in his statement, which OutKick is told comes from his involvement in supporting Washington in its endeavors to help resolve the situation, even if that meant through legal remedies. 

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This all could have been avoided if Demond Williams had listened to the right people, which sources told OutKick was a major factor in him releasing his first statement on Wednesday night. 

Now, all sides avoid any type of legal ramifications, though I am told the Huskies are still investigating which schools were discussing a potential transfer with Williams.