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Larry Johnson: Without Play And Without Representation

If you are a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan or you have Larry Johnson on your fantasy football team (a more likely possibility), you definitely felt a void in your sole yesterday as LJ was held back from putting up any stats.  He was previously benched two games for violating team rules before sitting out this past weekend’s game for spitting at a woman in a nightclub (aka violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy).  An agent has a fiduciary duty to represent and protect his clients at all times.  However, an agent will always be concerned on how his clients’ activities may reflect on his/her reputation.  I am sure that former agent, Michael Huyghue, voiced little concern when his onetime client, Pacman Jones, fired him.  Agent Alvin Keels was not going to even wait for any kind of termination letter, and instead decided to inform Larry Johnson that their relationship has eclipsed.

I once looked at the various similarities between myself and Keels.  We both work out of home, started our agencies in our early twenties, and owned promotions companies while students in college.  When I wrote the article almost exactly a year ago, Johnson and Keels seemed to have a great relationship.  Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports found out straight from Keels that the relationship has recently turned sour.  LJ must hold off on hiring a new agent until five days after the termination of representation was made official by the NFLPA.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

One reply on “Larry Johnson: Without Play And Without Representation”

L J has to remember when he was a kid and the love and desire and hard work it took to get to this level. I started watching football again two years ago because L J reminds of the Eric Dickerson ,Marcus Allen type.Stay focused on what your goals are. Be the man your parents raised you to be.God! gave you a talent to use and glorify him not you! Remeber the kids are watching. Good luck you are my favorite player

Marq in Chicago

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