Williams Leaves No Limit Sports to go to Steinberg

Williams Quits No Limit Sports

Fallout over controversial contract leads Saints' RB to Steinberg

New Orleans, March 27, 2000 -- New Orleans Saints running back, Ricky Williams terminated his relationship with controversial agent Leland Hardy of No Limit Sports and retained Leigh Steinberg as his new agent. Hardy negotiated a now-infamous rookie contract for Williams, which was long on incentives clauses, but short on base salary.

Williams' contract with the Saints contained an $8.8 million singing bonus, with the remainder of the $68.4 million deal based mostly on incentives [click here]. Due to injuries and overall poor team play, Williams reached only one of his incentives and collected just $3.8 million in his rookie year. Most of the incentives in Williams' deal are triggered upon reaching 1,600 rushing yards in a season, a very high standard.

Williams become one of several professional athletes to recently sever ties with No Limit Sports, the athletic representation agency created by rapper Master P. [click here]

Alternative Approach

Steinberg also represents Edgerrin James, the Indianapolis Colts running back chosen prior to Williams in last year's NFL draft. Steinberg negotiated a more attainable, staggered incentive based contract for James, which allowed the rookie to collect $14.8 million last season. Williams and Steinberg are not strangers, as previously Jeff Moorad, an associate of Steinberg, represented Williams while under a minor-league baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Steinberg often renegotiates his client's contracts and has done so for NFL quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Steve Young. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, however, the Saints do have a good relationship with Steinberg, but any renegotiation talks will not take place until after next season.

Steinberg, who forbids his first-year clients to enter into endorsement contracts, will ask Williams to cancel his local advertisement commitments. Also, Williams will not be allowed to talk with reporters while wearing his helmet, which was his common practice last season during his weekly interviews. The Times-Picayune reports that Steinberg is primarily interested in both establishing Williams as a top NFL running back and in cleansing William's tarnished image, which was only exacerbated by the player's comments in a recent Sports Illustrated article.