Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hurts, is rewriting the playbook on and off the field, with his most recent redemption at Super Bowl LIX taking down the Kansas City Chiefs with an ending score of 40-22. His success wasn’t done on his own, it can be credited to the outstanding women on his all-female management team, who have helped pave the way for Hurts to take on victory in his career.
It is no secret the sports industry is overwhelmingly male-dominated, but Hurts’ wise decision to entrust his professional career to a steadfast group of women is revolutionary.
At the head of his team, his agent, Nicole Lynn, has become a trailblazer for women working in sports. After reading her book, “Agent You: Show Up, Do the Work, and Succeed On Your Own Terms”, a few years ago, I have come to love her.
Lynn has made history of her own, being the first Black woman president of football at Klutch Sports and being the first Black woman to represent an NFL Draft pick.
Upon working with Jalen Hurts, Lynn secured him a five-year deal under a $255 million contract extension — In 2023, making this the largest NFL deal in history, allowing Hurts to be the highest-paid player in the league at the time.
Lynn isn’t alone on Hurts’ all-star roster team. He strategically picked several women, who have helped pave the way for him on the business side of football.
Jenna Malphrus also works at Klutch Sports as a senior client services manager. Malphrus serves as Hurts' brand manager.
Chantel Romain is head of Hurts’ media relations. Aside from working with Hurts, Romain is known for her work as a director, of social responsibility, player programs, and marketing communications within the National Basketball Association. Romain also oversees communications for the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, and NBA 2k League.
Up next is Hurts’ Public Relations specialist, Shakeemah Simmons-Winter. Simmons-Winter is a senior publicist for men’s professional sports. Starting her professional career as a public relations coordinator for the New York Knicks, she now works with multiple clients across the NBA and FIBA Properties, while also representing star QB Jalen Hurts.
Adding to this dynamic group of women is Rachel Everett for Hurts’ marketing and branding. Everett is a sports marketing agent who works for multiple professional athletes and is a Co-Founder of ESM Sports — a sports marketing agency, dedicated to professional athletes.
At a press interview during media days for Super Bowl LIX, Hurts was asked about his decision to work with an all-female team, and he answered, “I was seeking out the best, and that’s how I ended up with this group.” Hurts is known for his mentality of striving for the best and staying focused, so it is no surprise that he naturally picked a team of strong women to lead him. He wasn’t searching based on gender but based on skill alone and who would represent him the best.
This team of women has ensured that Hurts has a strong image on and off the field.
His endorsements with brands like Nike and Jordans, Beats by Dre, Hulu and more have elevated over the years thanks to the women standing behind him.
Together, this group serves as a pinnacle for girl power within sports. (Alexa, play Girl Power by the Cheetah Girls) These women have negotiated record-breaking deals, perfectly curated Hurts’ brand, and shaped him into one of the most respected players in the league.
The impact this team has goes beyond money and deals. They have challenged the norms in the industry and have created a space for women in sports leadership.
In a time where the qualifications of a woman are often questioned, these women are helping to prove that pure talent and hard work — not gender — dictates success.
Although the behind-the-scenes success is phenomenal, none of it would matter without the on-the-field success of Jalen Hurts. Hurts is a strong quarterback who is known to be stern and focused at all times. People often joke that he rarely ever smiles. Hurts has had his fair share of scrutiny, especially after the 2023 Super Bowl where the Eagles suffered a devastating loss to the Chiefs.
Despite the criticism, Jalen Hurts never let the negativity get to him. He took the scrutiny and let that be fire to fuel him — and I am sure his management team played a role in keeping his head in the game.
This year’s win makes him the fourth Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl in history.
Being one of eight Black quarterbacks to have ever played in the Super Bowl, Hurts led his team back to the big stage this year in redemption to stop the Chiefs from taking home a three-peat of Super Bowl wins. And boy did he deliver.
This season, Hurts proved the haters wrong and showed that his rise to the top was a statement and not a fluke.
As Jalen Hurts lives in the glory of his current Super Bowl win, he continues to shine a light on the extraordinary women who have been key components in his journey as a professional athlete.
Together this team is not just winning games, they are redefining history and shaping a narrative of what it means to be a woman in sports.
Edited by Naiya Dalce
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