Demond Williams Jr. Is returning to Washington for the 2026 season, the quarterback announced on Thursday. It was a decision that ended a whirlwind two-day stretch and avoided what would have been a costly legal fight for him and any would be destination.
Williams took to Instagram and explained that he would remain with Washington, days after declaring his intent to transfer and shortly after signing a new contract.
Sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel that the agreement was valued in the mid-$4 million range for 2026, a figure that immediately turned Williams’ situation into a referendum on the enforceability of NIL and revenue-share contracts in college sports. Had Williams followed through with his plan to leave, LSU was the expected destination and the financial consequences would have been severe.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Williams or his new school would have owed Washington roughly $4 million, near the full value of the contract. Under House settlement guidelines, that same amount would also have been deducted from the new school’s future revenue-share pool.
Washington and the Big Ten Conference were prepared to pursue legal remedies, and the case quickly became a big story across college athletics. Williams ultimately reversed course just minutes after kickoff of the College Football Playoff semifinal between the Miami and Ole Miss.
More: Demond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin being fired by LSU, attorney says
In his post, Williams said he was “fully committed” to Washington and apologized for the timing of his initial announcement, which coincided with the celebration of life for UW women’s soccer player Mia Hamant.
The episode included another twist when Williams’ agent, Doug Hendrickson of Wasserman Football, dropped him as a client before Williams retained attorney Darren Heitner. After extensive discussions, Williams elected to stay put.
Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said the sides will work to repair trust. The broader college sports world watched closely. As one senior official put it earlier this week: “If we can’t protect contracts, nothing else matters.”
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