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Robert Quinn Is One Of Many UNC Drafted Players To Change Agents

As I reported earlier today, Robert Quinn’s former agent Carl Carey, Jr. is suing Quinn, Quinn’s Business Manager, Impact Sports Football, LLC, and two of Impact Sports’ agents based on what I deem to be only two counts worth litigating – 1) tortious interference with contract and conspiracy; and 2) breach of contract.  But the Robert Quinn drama is just a small parcel of problems between University of North Carolina football players and agents in the past year.

Forget about the huge UNC Football Scandal involving deceased agent Gary Wichard, former UNC associate head coach John Blake, and whatever benefits were handed to football players who were student-athletes at the time.  Instead, take a look at the list of UNC football players’ original agent selections leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft.

  • Greg Little was represented by Octagon.  He switched to Drew Rosenhaus.
  • Kendric Burney fired Peter Schaffer of All Pro Sports & Entertainment.
  • Quan Sturdivant fired Carl Carey, Jr. and signed with Athletes First.
  • Marvin Austin got rid of Roosevelt Barnes of Maximum Sports Management and recently signed with Impact Sports.
  • Impact Sports is also the company being sued by Carl Carey, Jr based on Robert Quinn’s departure.

Were any of them possibly taking bad advice from an “agent” named Chris Hawkins?

Overall, there just seem to be too many problems with regards to athletes and agents at the University of North Carolina.  Maybe UNC needs to do a better job with its Agent Day.  Perhaps the school should hire a new out-of-house consulting firm to assist with the NCAA and professional education of student-athletes.  Some step(s) must be taken.

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.