Who is Nicole Lynn, sports super agent?

Sports Illustrated has called Nicole Lynn a trailblazer, as she’s worked diligently to earn a senior position at Klutch Sports Group, founded by noted sports businessman Rich Paul. She’s made a name for herself in the NFL and has some high-profile clients that trust her to come through during negotiations.

Klutch Sports Group named Nicole Lynn President of Football Operations in 2023, after she joined the company in 2021, according to Because of Them We Can’s website. Less than 5 percent of registered NFL agents are women, so Lynn ascending to this leadership position at a prominent agency is notable.

While Lynn now represents some of the most popular players in the NFL, her journey started with a focus on players on the fringe of the league. At 26 years old, Lynn would approach and sign clients who were projected to go undrafted, or weren’t viewed as anything more than late selections.

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According to Sports Illustrated, Lynn’s initial focus back then was to help her clients understand how to manage their money. She noted that most financial managers associated with NFL players received funds to invest in lavish portfolio’s, but she wanted to impart knowledge centered around day to day spending and decision-making.

Lynn also organized training sessions for incoming NFL players to think about practical examples of how to manage their wealth. For example, she would provide them with recommendations about how much to tip at restaurants, and give them information about how to check their credit scores.

Lynn’s path started when she became the first female agent to represent players at a company called PlayersRep. That company was acquired by Young Money APAA Sports Agency owned by rapper Lil Wayne. In 2021, she would join Klutch. The timeline is chronicled on Lynn’s website.

Lynn graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in business management and a Doctor of Law degree with honors. She obtained two financial certifications early in her career working as a financial analyst. According to Clemson’s website, she was named to the “top 40 Under 40” list of lawyers by the National Bar Association.

Lynn told the University of Miami’s website, “As an attorney, I learned how to redline contracts, how to negotiate—those are skills I use every day as an agent. I originally thought I would be a financial advisor, so that’s why I (initially) decided to work on Wall Street. But I realized that wasn’t for me.”

According to a Sports Illustrated piece, Lynn believes that former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Jordan Evans is the first player she represented that was ever drafted. He was selected by the team in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Lynn said of that moment, “You could not tell me that wasn’t the greatest thing in the world.”

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It wouldn’t take long for Lynn’s professional acumen to catch the attention of premier NFL prospects. According to Clemson’s website, she became the first black woman to represent a top three NFL draft pick in 2019, as she is the agent of record for New York Jets star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.

Lynn was focused on building her client base, and sent an Instagram message to then-University of Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. According to USA Today, the message read, “Hey, have you picked an agent? If not, I’d love to link.”

According to Sports Illustrated, Hurts responded, “I’d love to hear more. Can you give my dad a call?” This exchange eventually turned into a three-hour interview of Lynn by Hurts’ father, Averion Hurts Sr. Lynn thought that the extensive grilling would probably lead nowhere, but the family decided to entrust her as Jalen Hurts’ agent.

Jalen Hurts liked the way Lynn approached her job, and life in general. The quarterback told USA Today, “It lights a fire in me, because I know I’ll prove you wrong. I saw that same fire in Nicole. And that’s where we really hit it off. We had the same vision.”

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Hurts to a five-year, $255 million extension in April 2023. The deal gave Hurts the largest annual salary in NFL history, according to CBS News. Hurts thanked Lynn afterwards, telling Marca, “It means the world. She did a great job with it, I’m appreciative of her and hopefully she’s setting a precedent she’s empowering people to do it in the future.”

In addition to representing Hurts and Quinnen Williams, Nicole Lynn is also the agent of record for other NFL stars like Bijan Robinson, Myles Garrett and Will Anderson Jr.

Lynn told Fox 59 in October 2023, “In the NFL, there’s 900 sports agents, and only around one percent are women. I would definitely say it can be very intimidating. But for me, I decided early on I would show up as my authentic self. If I wanted to wear heels or lipstick and just be feminine, that’s OK because I was going to be excellent in all I did.”

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