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Agent Spotlight: Leigh Steinberg (Part II)

Will the real Leigh Steinberg please stand up?

It seems like the real Leigh Steinberg is a lot of things. He will go down as one of the most successful and influential sports agents of all time. He was the man behind Jerry Maguire. It all started off with his initial client, Steve Bartkowski, who was the 1st pick in the 1975 draft. Later, he would have his former business partner try to steal away all of his clients [Agent Spotlight: David Dunn]. Steinberg represented Matt Leinart [Early $ for Leinart]. And then Leinart left him for CAA [Leinart Ditches Steinberg]. He throws annual Super Bowl parties to boost his image [Party Like A Sports Agent]. Only to have his reputation tarnished by a D.U.I. arrest [DUI In The OC].

Lately, though, Steinberg has been taking on some new roles to help bolster his image. He has been raising awareness about the severity of NFL concussions, trying to improve the environment, and strongly endorsing Barack Obama.

On the Obama front, Steinberg will soon be launching an initiative called, “Athletes for Obama,” which happens to have no relation to this MySpace page. Charles Barkley and LeBron James may be among the athletes that support the cause [THE NEGOTIATORS: Steinberg still big on green]. Steinberg also wants to make an effort to combat global warming by introducing facility improvements in stadiums/arenas. As a side note, SportsAgentBlog.com will be doing its own part by participating in Blog Action Day (a blogger initiative to raise awareness and money around the environment).

Leigh Steinberg is no longer the agent he once was. His only true client is Ricky Williams (Bruce and Ryan Tollner took over the representation of all of Steinberg’s other clients), and Ricky is not running anywhere fast. He still has his own agency in Newport Beach, though, and is actually bringing on new agents to help build it up once again.

But this time, Steinberg is trying something new. He wants to create movies, affect global warming, change the landscape in the NFL concerning concussions, and even create a jockey league. Who knows what Leigh Steinberg will be up to next time we report on his life.

-Darren Heitner

If you are interested in reading the first Agent Spotlight on Leigh Steinberg, please click here.

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.

4 replies on “Agent Spotlight: Leigh Steinberg (Part II)”

No. Mr. Steinberg had the Tollners working with him while STM was still in progress. He has merely stepped down in the role as an agent but still provdies ideas and thoughts to REP 1.

Then why is he working so hard to bolster his image? In support of what Darren wrote, I saw him on Mike and the Maddog two days ago commenting on everything from Mike Vick, to player holdouts, and explaining how contracts work. This guy represented Troy Aikman, Drew Bledsoe, and a slew of other top QB’s. He consistently set the bar for the ” highest paid QB in the NFL”. That should speak for itself. Why does he need to prove himself again?

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