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Desean Jackson Signs With Joel Segal, Not Jay Z

DeSean Jackson
DeSean Jackson
Desean Jackson signing paperwork with football agent Joel Segal to make the business relationship official. Photo courtesy of @DeniseWhite_EAG.

After weeks of speculation and many writing in Jay Z and Roc Nation Sports as his next agent, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson decided to go in a different direction.  On Friday, Jackson’s public relations manager, Denise White, broke the news via Twitter that Jackson signed with football agent Joel Segal of Lagardère Unlimited.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/DeniseWhite_EAG/status/358297845431930881″]

In early June, White said that Jackson was not entertaining any new agencies or agents at the time and specifically indicated that her statement included Jay Z’s new Roc Nation Sports agency.  Yet other reporters, including Mike Garafolo of USA TODAY Sports, commented that Jackson told his teammates that he was interested in signing with Roc Nation Sports.

While Segal is undoubtedly a qualified and prominent football agent, one must wonder if there were other factors that persuaded Jackson to stay away from signing with Jay Z’s new sports agency.  The NFLPA recently conducted an investigation concerning Roc Nation Sports’ role in the recruitment of New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith, who switched from Select Sports Group to Kim Miale of Roc Nation after the 2013 NFL Draft.  No punishment has been levied to date, but players may start to become concerned about potential negative ramifications stemming from the investigation.  That said, Jackson will likely be performing on the 5-year, $47 million contract he signed on March 14, 2012, so having a certified agent on his side is not necessarily the most important thing for the time being.  But he now has one and his name is Joel Segal.

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.