The Agent: My 40-Year Career Making Deals and Changing the Game

Leigh Steinberg recounts his 40-year career as one of the most prominent sports agents in history. He represented All-Pro clients including Troy Aikman, Bruce Smith, and Ben Roethlisberger, and achieved the unprecedented feat of representing the top NFL Draft pick six times over a seven-year period. Director Cameron Crowe cited Steinberg as a primary inspiration for the character in Jerry Maguire and hired him as a consultant on the film. Steinberg details his rise from student leader at Berkeley through decades of industry dominance, including negotiating a $26.5 million package for Steve Young—the largest at that time—and his decision to pass on representing Peyton Manning. He also expanded his players' reach into entertainment, ahead of his contemporaries. The book covers his high-profile struggles, his path to sobriety, and his comeback in the profession. Through Steinberg's experiences, the memoir provides an inside look at the world of top sports agents and players, documenting the business of signing elite talent and the eccentricities within the industry.