Keyshawn Johnson suing NFL agent for $1 million in finder's fees
Former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson is suing agent Chris Ellison for nearly $1 million in damages.
Johnson argues he recruited several NFL players to sign with Ellison following an alleged agreement the two made years ago that Johnson would receive payment for his efforts.
Johnson filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on May 23 and alleges he “was to identify players, make the initial contact with them, and recruit them to be represented by” Ellison. The suit was first reported by TMZ.
Johnson named four players that the lawsuit that he recruited to sign with Ellison:
- Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes
- Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson
- Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs
- San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir
The suit states that Ellison promised to pay Johnson a third of the 3% commission he made on each of the players' salaries. The suit states that the total comes to $962,335.
Ellison told TMZ Sports he denies Johnson's claims in this lawsuit.
If the two had an agreement and the named players were not aware of it, that could cause issues for Ellison. Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, agents are required to disclose those types of agreements to both their clients and the NFL Players Association.