Whether an NFL player is a seasoned veteran or a draft-eligible rookie, the selection of an agent is a very important decision. There are a number of factors a player should consider before deciding whether to sign with an agent: the agent’s overall experience, the number of clients he or she represents, the fee percentage charged, services provided and prior discipline, if any. All of this information can be retrieved by players or their family members simply by calling the NFLPA.

“We have files on every agent,” said NFLPA Director of Salary Cap and Agent Administration Mark Levin. “We can tell a player what contracts an agent has negotiated, who they represent, what fees they charge and most importantly, whether the Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline has ever taken action against the agent.”

In addition to the factors above, players should also take into consideration how comfortable they feel with the agent and how trustworthy they think he or she is. This feeling of comfort usually comes with multiple in-person meetings and a getting-to-know-you period of time.

“Players need someone they can trust and who they have forged a strong relationship with,” Levin said. “At the same time, players must always remember that this is a business relationship and that they are the boss in that relationship.”

Hiring an agent who has the most experience or who has represented the most number of players is not necessarily the best choice. There are more than 750 certified agents with varying degrees of experience and numbers of clients. “Just because an agent is less experienced or works at a smaller firm does not necessarily mean he or she can’t provide the same level of service or expertise in contract negotiations,” Levin said.

Prior to meeting with agents, players should determine what services they want an agent to provide: Do they want just a contract negotiator? Do they want someone who may also provide marketing/endorsement services? Or do they want someone who can also provide financial advice?

Sometimes it is in the players’ best interest to have separate, independent people providing services beyond contract negotiation. By doing so, players can create a system of checks and balances with one professional reviewing the work of the others.

Players should also ask agents to provide names and phone numbers of people who can attest to their credentials, such as current and former clients, club general managers and contract negotiators. Then they should contact those references to see what their opinion is of the agent.

“Picking the right agent should not be taken lightly by players and those assisting them in the process,” Levin said. “Players should take advantage of the resources the NFLPA can provide in helping them make this important decision. All they have to do is call.”