The last few months have treated Jayden Daniels and his family quite nicely.
Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick for the Washington Commanders, is the frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after a stellar first five starts to his career. And all the while, his mother, Regina Jackson, became a certified agent in the NFL.
Based on CBS Sports research and conversations around the league, it's likely Jackson is the first parent of a top-three draft pick in NFL history to become a certified agent. And Jackson adds to a growing list of NFL parents who are joining the agent ranks.
Jackson became an NFL Players Association certified agent within the past month, passing the exam that was administered in late July.
"For her, taking the agent's test is because she wants to be knowledgeable and helping her son and guiding him through his NFL career," said Denise White, a public relations specialist who works with Jayden Daniels and his family. "It's important for her to have all that knowledge so she can give her son guidance, which will help him focus on the field and she can help focus off the field for him."
Jackson is not listed among Daniels' representation. The young star has four agents on file with the NFLPA. He's represented by the quartet of Ira Turner, Ron Butler, Aston Wilson and Stanley Bien-Aime, all of Agency 1 Sports.
Daniels signed a four-year contract worth $37.75 million in June after being drafted in April. Rookie deals have been slotted ever since the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, and teams can't extend or renegotiate with players until the conclusion of their third season.
Jackson, who White said holds an MBA in concentration entrepreneurship and a masters in public services administration, has been working toward being an agent dating back to Daniels's collegiate days.
"I think any businessperson with the education that she's had, the leadership she's had and companies that she's worked with... it would only make sense to me that she's instilled this incredible work ethic in him," White says. "Her focus is making sure she has all the tools and knowledge she can to guide him through his rookie season and his NFL career."
There are roughly 1,000 certified agents. In order to become a certified agent, one must have both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree (masters or law) from an accredited college or university. There's a non-refundable $2,500 fee, and one must be able to pass a background check. There's a 2-3 day virtual seminar followed by the agent exam that normally takes place in late July. And once the agent passes the exam and is certified, he or she must pay annual dues between $1,500 and $2,000 depending on how many clients he or she represents.
One agent estimated that of the nearly 1,000 agents, there are no more than 50 women who are agents. That number has increased in recent years, and Klutch agent Nicole Lynn headlines the group with more than two dozen negotiated contracts -- including what was at the time the richest contract in NFL history for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in 2023.
Jackson is not the first parent of an NFL player to be a registered agent. In fact, she's not the only mother of a current player who's also an agent.
Heather Van Norman served as a business manager for his son earlier in his career, and last year she became a certified agent. Her son, Odell Beckham Jr., is likely the highest-profile NFL player whose parent serves as one of his agents (along with his longtime agent Zeke Sandhu.)
Alishia Jones, mother of second-year Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones, became a certified agent in 2023, though she does not represent her son.
Joe Linta, who represents players like Colts quarterback Joe Flacco and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, served as the agent to his son T.J. in 2019. T.J. went undrafted and signed with the Chiefs for one month before being released. And Patrice McDowell-Brown became an agent in 2013 one year before her son, Preston Brown, was drafted and began a six-year career as a linebacker. Former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck had his uncle, Will Wilson, serve as his agent during his playing career.
Lamar Jackson's mother, Felicia Jones, has sometimes been misidentified as his agent. The two-time NFL MVP has no agent, and his mother serves as his business manager.
And Jackson and Van Norman aren't the only LSU moms who serve as agents. Kimberly Williams has been an agent since last year and has negotiated two deals already, and her son, Josh Williams, is a sixth-year running back for the Tigers this season.
A source indicated parents-as-agents could continue as a trend in pro sports, especially in the NFL. With the growth of NIL in colleges, parents are becoming even more involved in their children's business dealings -- many times out of necessity for the 18-to-21-year-olds.
"My mother has never missed a game," Daniels said on "The Pivot" podcast last year. "If it's raining out there, she's going to be out there. If it's [negative] degrees, she's going to be out there standing up the whole time making sure she's cheering me on."
