Athletes First Top NFL Agency With $2B in Deals

Athletes First is the top sports agency for NFL players, with roughly $2 billion in negotiated contracts for 75 active players, according to a study by Pickwise and ICS-digital.

The California-based agency is led by agents Todd France and David Mulugheta, whose clients include NFL stars Jalen Ramsey, Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott. 

France is the top-ranked NFL agent by commissions, with roughly $36 million earned from $1.19 billion in contracts negotiated among 33 active players. Mulugheta ranks third with $25 million in commissions on the back of $830 million in deals for 42 active players. 

Athletes First has negotiated multiple historic deals for its clients since 2020. 

• Last year, Ramsey agreed to a five-year, $105 million extension, making him the first defensive back in NFL history to secure a nine-figure deal.
• The same year, Watson signed a four-year, $160 million extension, which included $111 million in guarantees.
• Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million extension in March, which included a $66 million signing bonus and a no-trade clause.

Athletes First has $4 billion in contract value under management as of Dec. 22, 2020, including players who have retired and been cut, per Forbes. The agency has pocketed roughly $85 million in commissions. 

NFL contracts will continue to reach new heights with a higher salary cap. In May, the NFL and NFLPA agreed to a salary cap ceiling of $208.2 million for the 2022 season, up from $182.5 million in 2021.