S. Samuel
After recent reports claimed Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver DeSean Jackson was on the verge of signing to Roc Nation Sports, new reports claim he will not join Jay-Z's growing roster.
According to reports, Jackson has decided to hire the same agent responsible for fellow teammate Michael Vick.
After the release of his critically acclaimed (or something) single with Snoop Dogg, Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson apparently decided he didn’t need Jay-Z after all. While speculation mounted that Jackson would sign with the rap mogul-turned-agent, Jackson has apparently chosen to go with established agent Joel Segal instead, according to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal. Segal also represents Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, whom Jackson has been supportive of recently. (NBC Sports)
Weeks after New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith joined Roc Nation, recent reports claimed Jackson wanted in on the opportunity.
Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson has fired agent Drew Rosenhaus and is considering hiring Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, according to multiple reports. In March 2012, Jackson, after his fourth season with the Eagles, re-signed for $51 million over five years, $15 million of which was guaranteed through mostly the first two years of the contract. But Jackson has told teammates he is now hoping to strike a deal with Roc Nation Sports, according to USA Today Sports, which cited a source with knowledge of the situation. However, a source told ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell that while it’s possible that Jackson desires to be with Roc Nation Sports, to date there have not been any discussions between the two sides. Per NFL Players Association rules, Jackson must wait five days after filing agent-termination paperwork with the union before he begins talking to other agents about representation. (ESPN)
This week, Jigga said the creation of Roc Nation Sports will break old habits and lazy traditions set by sports agencies for years.
“Within two months we had Robinson Cano and Kevin Durant,” Jay said in an interview referring to the New York Yankees and Oklahoma City Thunder superstars. “[The other companies,] they’re fighting it. They’re fighting it because it means you have to work now. You have to work now and they’re not comfortable with that. They’ve been spending 15, 20 years just sitting back and collecting the check and now they have to get out, get up and they have to work and they have to care about these clients because they’re going to see the work we’re doing and say, ‘Hold on, wait a second. Why am I not getting this sort of service? What are you doing? What have you been doing this week?’ Those questions are going to start coming so they’re intimidated by that. The fact that they have to work and they’re intimidated by the fact their clients are going to want to come to us. But if they’re doing a great job, there’s no reason for any client to switch.” (BBC Radio 1)
Jigga also said he believes Roc Nation Sports will ultimately make agents reconsider how much time and effort they put into their clients’ careers.
“This is people’s lives. They think they’re going to hang around me because I’m famous but they can do that anyway. They don’t have to sign to Roc Nation,” Jay added. “Those two reasons. They think their clients are going to leave them. Their conscience is telling them, ‘I’m not really earning a check. I’m not really earning,’ because if you’re confident and I know that I’ve done a great job, I have no fear of that because, I’m doing a great job. But their conscience is telling them, ‘I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing and this is not cool that someone’s around that is threatening to really do the job. So I really have to get up now.’ … Some guys sign and they never see the agent. They see them on the signing day and just never them [again]. And hoping to get fired because they have this tale that they still get paid. They’re almost hoping to get fired.” (BBC Radio 1)
