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LSU Administrative Coordinator Reports Football Agent Albert Elias Has Passed Away

Albert Elias smiling with a client.
Albert Elias smiling with a client.
Albert Elias smiling with a client.

According to LSU Administrative Coordinator Lois Young Stuckey’s Facebook page, Albert Elias, the founder of football agency Elias Sports Management, LLC has passed away.  The unfortunate and very sad news posted on her Facebook status reads:

Just found out that God has taken one of his angels home…. Albert Elias I love ya and gonna miss you so much.

In a comment on that same thread, Stuckey says that Elias was on a ski trip and was found this morning.

Elias was respected in the football agent community.  In my many years of covering the profession, I never heard a bad word spoken about him.  In fact, many praised him for being able to defeat the odds and build a successful sports agency on his own, without having to associate himself with a big name company or hefty investors.  He was also outspoken about controversies surrounding sports agents who pay college athletes.

Albert Elias made his name by recruiting the area he knew best – Louisiana.  When I was in law school, I wrote that Elias gave me hope that I could achieve greatness in the sports agent industry.  While I am no longer a practicing sports agent, I will forever be thankful to Albert for providing motivation and allowing me, and others, to believe that anything is possible.

Without a doubt, Albert Elias always took pride in his practice and his clientele.  It is hard to find a picture with Albert and a football player where the agent is not smiling.  His clients provided him joy and he was able to do wonders for his players.  A perfect example of Elias’ strength as an agent is when he was able to negotiate an early contract for 2012 NFL Draft pick Michael Brockers at slot, but without “offset” language.  That move benefited many other players (and their agents) selected in the first round of the draft.

Recently, I highlighted Elias’ signing of two NFL prospects: Robert Alford and Brandon Williams.  I can only imagine how hard this news is for them to deal with.  Albert was not only an agent, he was a friend.  He always told me if there is anything he could do to help me, I should not hesitate to call.  You surely will be missed.

Here’s an article Albert wrote for Sports Agent Blog back in 2009 – “Football Players May Be Tough as Nails, but They’re Not Invincible.“

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.

2 replies on “LSU Administrative Coordinator Reports Football Agent Albert Elias Has Passed Away”

Albert spoke to my Sports Law class this semester at Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Never have I heard an agent be so encouraging toward students pursuing their dreams of becoming an agent. For the brief hour I was able to listen, Albert clearly had an undeniable passion and love for what he did. He will be missed.

The world is a colder and darker place without Albert. He touched the lives of many as a source of inspiration, excitement, hope, and joy that will be deeply missed.
I will miss my dear friend immeasurably…

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