Who is Jimmy Sexton? Sports agent at the center of coaching shakeups

There’s one man behind the negotiations reshaping college football contracts that everyone seems to know: Jimmy Sexton. The veteran sports agent has become one of the most talked-about figures in athletics this fall amid a wave of coaching changes and new megadeals across both the college and professional ranks.

Sexton, Co-Head of Football at Creative Artists Agency, represents some of the most influential coaches in the nation. His client list includes Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Texas’s Steve Sarkisian, Mike Norvell, and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin. He also represented Nick Saban.

Who is Jimmy Sexton? The agent that coaches from Lane Kiffin to Nick Saban all use. 

A former player-turned-representative, Sexton built his career on managing complex deals and maintaining close relationships with athletic directors, general managers, and university boards. His recent involvement in multiple headline-grabbing negotiations has fueled curiosity about the extent of his influence over the evolving landscape of sports leadership.

Though Sexton tends to avoid media appearances, his clients’ success has made him a central figure in ongoing conversations about coaching salaries, buyouts, and the growing business of athletic representation. On Saturday morning, Sexton's name appeared on social media as rumors circulated about Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and a potential jump to the NFL, as reported by The Athletic. Sexton and CAA quickly dismissed any rumors and cited that Sarkisian was committed to the Texas Longhorns. 

Sexton’s client roster includes major college football coaches such as Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Penn State’s James Franklin, Oregon’s Dan Lanning, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney. Earlier this week, Nick Saban joked that Sexton needed to stay away from his wife amid the open job market in college sports. 

In the professional ranks, Sexton has represented elite NFL players, including Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford, Derrick Henry, Julio Jones, J.J. Watt, Laremy Tunsil, Sam Darnold, and Ndamukong Suh.​

Sexton has negotiated more than $3 billion in player and coaching contracts and has been consistently listed by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful sports agents.

More college football news: 

• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Steve Sarkisian reportedly interested in leaving Texas for NFL openings
• Cam Newton nearly comes to blows with a mascot on ESPN
• Paul Finebaum remains sold on one name for Florida opening
• UNC fans think Bill Belichick resigned to join Duke's coaching staff because of a satirical story