Like many other students here at Mt. A, I eagerly tuned in to watch Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9, 2025. I did not understand most of the game, but I understood that Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, did a really good job at catching balls — or whatever they do. Following the Eagles victory, many fans took to social media praising the young star for his performance. Moreover, people applauded Hurts for his all-female management team. The field of sports management is male dominated, so Hurt’s all-women management team is a historical first for the NFL. In a Sports Illustrated Interview article in August 2022, Hurts praised his management team stating “I have a team of straight hustlers … They get things done. And that’s how I am on the field and off the field.”
Hurts’ managerial team is composed of five women. Nicole Lynn is his primary agent, who negotiates contracts with teams, managing endorsement deals, handling financial planning, and overseeing their public image. Alongside Lynn, Hurts team consists of Chantal Romain, Shakeemah Simmons-Winter, Jenna Malphrus, and Rachel Everett. Three of these women are women of colour, which is an even more underrepresented group in this industry.
When explaining how this team began to form, Hurts stated that it came together naturally and organically. All five women work at Klutch Sports Group Agency. Nicole Lynn, Hurts’ primary agent, was promoted to president of the company’s football division in 2023. In 2020, Lynn reached out to Hurts on Instagram with a direct message saying “Hey, have you picked an agent? If not, I’d love to link.” Since the original message, Hurts’ management team began to form . Hurts said that he was seeking out the best for his management team, and that he found them. He also stated that he felt underestimated by his former management team. Many analysts criticized and doubted Hurts’ abilities as a quarterback, and Hurts has been motivated to prove them wrong. Hurts and Lynn bonded over these experiences of being underestimated in their respective industries, and agreed they would overcome these obstacles together.
The quarterback’s decision stands as a stark contrast to others at the Super Bowl game. Most notably, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, Harrison Butker, who received backlash online after his commencement speech at Benedictine College last year. In his speech, he made several sexist and homophobic remarks towards the graduates, stating: “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world” and referring to Pride Month as “the deadly sin sort of pride.” The NFL responded to the backlash with a statement declaring “his views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
It is evident that more representation is needed in several facets of the workplace. More people should adapt Hurts’ attitudes towards representation and how we can learn from other perspectives. I was seeking out the best, and that’s how it happened,” said Hurts at a press conference before his big game, adding: “And honestly, for me, it’s an eye that I don’t have that I’m able to lean on in certain situations. That’s something I value heavily.” While women, people of colour, and other minority groups only compose a small portion of the sports management industry, they are leading in terms of success.
