Anyone who’s paid attention to the business side of the NFL has probably heard the name Drew Rosenhaus. While several agents have made a career behind the scenes, Rosenhaus is known for his boisterous antics and in-your-face representation. In the process, Rosenhaus has made himself a rich man and one of the most recognizable names in his industry.

Drew Rosenhaus’s start

A 22-year-old Rosenhaus registered as an agent in 1989, making him the youngest agent at the time. Since then, he’s built a clientele that reaches nearly NFL locker room. Based in Miami, Rosenhaus has gambled on himself in the past. According to Rosenhaus, while most agents make anywhere from 15-20% of the overall money earned by an athlete, he only takes about 3% of his clients’ pay.

This is a strange strategy in a job typically hellbent on earning as much money as possible, but there’s a method to Rosenhaus’s madness. By cutting down his initial fee, Rosenhaus is banking on making his clients at least five times more money through his notorious negotiations.

Rosenhaus has a knack for getting some of the biggest NFL personalities. The fact that many of them are paid very well is no coincidence. Rosenhaus is, after all, nicknamed “The Shark” by many in the industry due to his ability to get his lients very large deals. This makes his 3% cut more lucrative.

Rosenhaus’s clients 

Over the years, Rosenhaus’s client count has grown to 112 players who’ve accumulated $1.1 billion in salaries. His Rolodex of names says a little bit about why he can get away with such a rambunctious style. They are currently embattled All-Star-caliber players and Hall of Famers alike, but they all fit within a mold that attracts Rosenhaus. 

As far as former players go, Rosenhaus represents everyone from Hall of Fame defender Warren Sapp and opinionated Hall of Famer Terrell Owens. One of his more notorious moments as an agent came when Owens was trying to stage a comeback, but not a single NFL team showed up. Perhaps a testament to Rosenhaus’s power, however, is that Owens got one more contract a year later with the Seattle Seahawks.

Rosenhaus also represents recently retired Rob Gronkowski, T.Y. Hilton, and embattled players Tyreek Hill and Antonio Brown. The recent Brown saga with the Raiders was, perhaps, a perfect portrait of why these players work with Rosenhaus. Regardless of baggage, he has a way of getting players the contracts they want from teams desperate for their on-field talent. 

What is he worth?

To date, Rosenhaus reportedly has a net worth of over $65 million. If the Brown saga taught us anything, it’s that he’s not slowing down. Whether or not people agree with his eccentric clientele, they cannot deny that Rosenhaus is great at getting players exactly what they want, if not more than they ever dreamed of.