Jimmy Sexton (sports agent)

{{Short description|American sports agent (born 1963)}}

Jimmy Sexton (b. August 22, 1963) is Co-Head of Football and Head of Coaching as a sports agent for Creative Artist Agency. He has been with the agency since 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/10/09/the-most-powerful-agency-in-sports-just-booked-5-billion-in-new-deals/|title=The Most Powerful Agency In Sports Just Booked $5 Billion In New Deals|last=Badenhausen|first=Kurt|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25}} Sexton is a 1982 graduate of Memphis's Evangelical Christian School and the University of Tennessee, class of 1986.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Conferences-Events/2018/WCOS/Speakers/Jimmy-Sexton.aspx|title=2025}}

He signed his first contract as a sports agent in 1984 with his client, Hall of Famer Reggie White, who was also his college dorm mate.{{Cite web|url=https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/06/09/jimmy-sexton-agent-jets-joe-douglas-adam-gase-sam-darnold/|title=Meet Jimmy Sexton – the agent to the Jets' biggest power players|date=2019-06-09|website=Jets Wire|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25}} White became the highest paid defensive professional football player at that time.{{Cite web|url=https://sportsleadership.utexas.edu/csli-news/superagent-jimmy-sexton-on-the-changing-landscape-of-sports/|title=Superagent Jimmy Sexton on the Changing Landscape of Sports – Center for Sports Leadership & Innovation – University of Texas|date=5 April 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-25}} In 1987, Sexton became the youngest agent ever to be licensed by the National Football League Players Association.{{Cite web |title=Jimmy Sexton |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/jimmy-sexton/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Sexton is one of the few agents to represent both players and coaches.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/super-agents-rep-75-percent-of-nfl-players-its-a-competitive-fight-to-sign-the-rest/2018/04/18/49d34626-4263-11e8-ad8f-27a8c409298b_story.html|title='Super agents' rep 75 percent of NFL players. It's a competitive fight to sign the rest.|last=Clarke|first=Liz|date=2018-04-18|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2019-09-25|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}} He has represented some of the top NFL stars, including Julio Jones, Laremy Tunsil, Derrick Henry, Philip Rivers, Daniel Jones, Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford, J.J. Watt, Ndamukong Suh and Sam Darnold and has negotiated NFL contracts totaling $3 billion in value.{{Cite web |title=2025 |url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Conferences-Events/2018/WCOS/Speakers/Jimmy-Sexton.aspx |access-date=2019-09-25 |website=www.sportsbusinessdaily.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-nine-power-brokers-wholl-play-a-big-role-in-determining-the-2019-financial-terrain/|title=Agent's Take: Nine power brokers who'll play a big role in determining the 2019 financial terrain|website=CBSSports.com|date=15 March 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-09-25}}{{Cite web |last=Curtright |first=Austin |title=Who is Jimmy Sexton? College football agent's clients include Kalen DeBoer, Nick Saban |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/football/2024/01/12/who-is-jimmy-sexton-clients-kalen-deboer-alabama-nick-saban-replacement-college-football/72205499007/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=The Tuscaloosa News |language=en-US}} As of 2024 he represents 7 of the 10 highest paid college football coaches, 14 of the 16 SEC head coaches and 7 NFL head coaches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/2019/05/19/memphis-bicentennial-top-50-sports-figures-history/3661526002/|title=Memphis Bicentennial: The most notable sports figures in Bluff City history|website=Memphis Commercial Appeal|language=en|access-date=2019-09-25}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=College ADs cower in the presence of coaching super-agent Jimmy Sexton {{!}} Commentary |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/01/16/jimmy-sexton-mike-norvell-fsu-nick-saban-alabama-kalen-deboer-steve-sarkisian-billy-napier-gators-gus-malzahn-ucf-mike-bianchi-commentary/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Orlando Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Highest Paid College Football Coaches & Salaries |url=https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/football/coach |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}

He was listed on the Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful Sports Agents in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbelzer/2018/09/25/the-worlds-most-powerful-sports-agents-2018/|title=The World's Most Powerful Sports Agents 2018|last=Belzer|first=Jason|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-12-30}}