Colorado’s NIL Director Explains Why Mothers Can’t Be Agents, Despite Exceptions Like Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels

In today’s NFL, family often plays a big role in a player’s inner circle, especially mom. Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels have both shown this by employing their mothers as their agents, proving that, despite what some may say, moms can negotiate contract deals and become certified agents.

For Jackson, his mother, Felicia Jones, acts as his manager without NFLPA agent certification. Meanwhile, Jayden’s mother, Regina Jackson, holds her NFLPA certification and also has a dual master’s degree in hospital administration and entrepreneurial business.

That’s why, when the University of Colorado’s NIL director, Reggie Calhoun Jr., made this comment about mothers acting as agents, it caught us a bit off guard.

“Mom’s job is not to negotiate your deal. She doesn’t have that skill set. Mom has never negotiated a deal in her life. Her job is bookkeeping. Mom has always been good at keeping books. Let that be Mom’s job. Your agent is doing sales,” Calhoun shared via The Business of Athletes. 

They’re puzzling remarks coming from Calhoun. A bit of basic research shows he never made it past the college level, so should he really be advising players on something he has little experience with?

As mentioned, Lamar has no agent. His mother, Felicia, serves as his business manager. And just to rub it in the face of Calhoun, she even negotiated her QB son’s massive 5-year, $260 million extension in 2023. So, what is the Colorado director even talking about?

Furthermore, Jayden’s mom, Regina, is a certified NFLPA agent. It’s something she worked hard toward becoming, going back to when he was at LSU. Now, she’s been spotted on several occasions by Jayden’s side as his mentor, seemingly keeping the star QB out of trouble.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thee Pregame Network (@theepregameshow)

All in all, Calhoun’s opinions on mothers being agents fall apart when you examine the landscape of today’s NFL. Lamar and Jayden are not the only ones to ever have their mothers represent them as agents. Odell Beckham, Jaylon Jones, and Preston Brown are all current and former players who opted to do the same. 

Additionally, studies show that players in the 18-21 range are using their parents more than ever for representation. The trend may even continue to grow, as NIL rules become more stringent.

But through very different models, both Lamar and Jayden have shown us that it’s possible to be an elite NFL quarterback while having a mother as an agent. Certified or not, it can work both ways.