Keyshawn Johnson Sues NFL Agent Chris Ellison, Claiming He’s Owed $1M For Referring Players

Keyshawn Johnson has filed a lawsuit against NFL agent Chris Ellison, claiming that he owes Johnson nearly $1 million for helping funnel clients his way, but the NFL agent claims that the former NFL wide receiver’s allegations are not true.

Johnson said in his suit that he and Ellison struck a deal about a decade ago in which the former New York Jets star agreed to push players to be represented by Ellison in exchange for a portion of the NFL contracts the athletes received.

Johnson was to receive one-third of the three percent commission Ellison ultimately made on the players’ salaries, according to the lawsuit, but Johnson claims that Ellison has stiffed him on four of the players he recruited. Those players were San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.

Johnson claims that, based on their agreement, Ellison should have paid him $962,335, but hasn’t made good on their agreement. Ellison denies all of the claims Johnson made in the suit.

Johnson was the number one pick in the 1996 draft out of USC and went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL, where he played for the Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers.

After his 11-year playing career came to an end, the 52-year-old quickly transitioned to the media space where he worked on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown for years before eventually landing at Fox.

Johnson reportedly made almost $46 million across his four NFL contracts prior to retirement. He currently serves as one of the co-hosts on FS1’s daily studio show, Speak with Joy Taylor.