‘You owe me $1 million’: Keyshawn Johnson takes NFL agent to court over secret referral deal

Former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Keyshawn Johnson has filed a $1 million lawsuit against sports agent Chris Ellison, alleging the agent failed to pay him agreed-upon referral fees for directing professional football players to Ellison for representation.The lawsuit was filed last week in Los Angeles and was obtained by TMZ Sports. Johnson claims the two had a verbal agreement dating back roughly ten years. Under the alleged terms, Johnson would refer NFL prospects to Ellison, who would then represent them. In return, Johnson says he was entitled to a portion of Ellison’s agent fees—specifically, one-third of Ellison’s standard three percent commission on the players’ contracts.In the lawsuit, Johnson cites four NFL players he claims to have steered toward Ellison for representation:Deommodore Lenoir, cornerback, San Francisco 49ersJaylon Johnson, cornerback, Chicago BearsMike Hughes, cornerback, Atlanta FalconsRomeo Doubs, wide receiver, Green Bay PackersJohnson alleges that Ellison has not honored the agreement in each of these cases. According to court filings, Johnson is seeking $962,335 in total, his calculated share of the commissions Ellison has earned through representing the four athletes.

Chris Ellison has rejected all of Johnson’s allegations. Speaking to TMZ Sports, the agent denied the claims outright but declined to provide any further detail regarding his defense.Keyshawn Johnson, who played in the NFL from 1996 to 2006 and won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has remained active in the football world after retirement. He’s built a significant media presence and is also known for mentoring young athletes, including high school and college football players, helping them navigate their paths toward professional careers.