Big Bag Alert: Black NFL Agents Usher In A New Era

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By Justice Allen

  • 17 of the 32 players selected in the first round of the NFL draft are represented by Black Agents
  • NFL agents can make up to 3% commission on player salaries and up to 20% commission on endorsement deals

Even in the face of a pandemic, Black people are in savage mode and still breaking down sports barriers. With the 2020 NFL draft in the rearview mirror, it appears that for the first time ever, more than half of the league’s first round picks are being represented by Black agents. For the newly minted NFL players, Black agents represented 17 of the 32 first round picks. This could mean big money as NFL agents can make up to 3% commission on player salaries and up to 20% commission on endorsement deals.

Why This Matters: Just last year NFL agent Nicole Lynn made history as the first black woman to represent a top five pick, and now she’s been joined by a slew of other melanin-rich sports agents. When it comes to making money for professional sports leagues, the NFL is king pulling in revenues over $8.1 billion in 2018. However, the average NFL player only makes about $860,000, oftentimes a lot less.

Let’s not forget Black players make up over 70% of NFL’s athletes

Let’s not forget Black players make up over 70% of NFL’s athletes, and two of the best quarterbacks in the league are Black. There’s clearly an income disparity between players and owners in a league that is mostly Black, so this year’s draft represented a major milestone for NFL agents, but also a chance to rewrite the futures of hundreds of Black athletes. It also doesn’t hurt to have more people of color collecting some of that NFL bread.

What’s Next: While these Black NFL agents should be toasting their achievements, there’s still a lot of work to be done. According to Nicole Lynn, not one of the top Black NFL agents represents a single white player. Major strides have been made over the last two years alone, but will we see black NFL agents overcome this challenge? Only time will tell.

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