Sense of Agency: 2008 Alumnus Represents Athletes as NFLPA Agent

The former Cavaliers quarterback is an up-and-coming NFL agent. More specifically, Beaudry is an NFL Players Association certified contract advisor who works in partnership development at TEAM LAMMI, a Milwaukee sports marketing agency whose talent includes the likes of Packers great Donald Driver. Two years into his new career, Beaudry represents two NFL rookies, a USFL tight end, and several college athletes eyeing the next level.

His journey to the echelon of sports started with an innate love of athletics.

“From the minute I could run, my parents had me in some sort of organized sports activity,” Beaudry said. “Sports have always been important to me, and you can see how they’re important to so many communities.”

In addition to his time on the gridiron, the St. Matthew (Oak Creek) graduate played golf, baseball, and basketball in high school. While earning his Marquette University undergraduate and law school degrees, Beaudry started a decade-long run coaching STM girls’ basketball, culminating in the program’s 2018 trip to state.

“It was an incredible experience for me and the athletes — to see how the school rallied around us, learning how to really lead as a coach,” he said. “That season taught me more than any other and, for me, really spoke to the power of sports.”

In summer 2021, after a couple COVID-19 curveballs, the married father of two passed the NFLPA’s exam. By winter, he left corporate sales to pursue his dreams.

Agent life is good, Beaudry said, “but not all glitz and glamor like you see on TV.” Success is built on long hours, long-term relationships, and, ultimately, helping athletes manage the challenges of a far-from-certain profession in a quickly evolving landscape.

“The industry is hard to break into, especially if you don’t know someone,” Beaudry said, noting there are roughly 1,800 active NFL players and about 1,000 agents, with big agencies representing most.

The Waukesha resident ran his own agency for a year before linking up with LAMMI to grow the well-established firm’s NFL contract business. LAMMI athletes include a who’s who of former Packers as well as Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief and Wisconsin Badgers like Chucky Hepburn.

The NCAA’s 2021 decision to let college athletes monetize their name, image, and likeness, or NIL, has created new opportunities and increased the importance of establishing early relationships with promising talent, Beaudry said. Direct outreach through social media platforms is a go-to route to starting conversations with talent and, “as you grow as an agent, your word-of-mouth reputation becomes a much bigger factor,” he explained.

Beaudry’s philosophy is rooted in “lifelong relationships, not just the short window of when you might play professional sports,” he said, noting the average NFL career is less than four years. At LAMMI, “we want to be there to take care of you long after your playing days are over,” he said, describing Driver’s ongoing endorsement deals and thriving nonprofit.

April’s 2023 NFL Draft provided a significant milestone in Beaudry’s progress as an agent. Though neither of his players were drafted, Alex Pihlstrom, a University of Illinois center, secured the interest of the New Orleans Saints, signing a contract after the draft. Another client, former Ball State safety Jaquan Amos, earned his way to the Baltimore Ravens summer camp and preseason squad. Although neither player made the final 53-man cut, both Pilhlstrom and Amos have continued to receive interest from NFL teams as they anticipate future openings in their rosters.

Beaudry described the draft process as intense, starting well before the main event, with pre-draft and pre-combine training, Pro Day, and interviews. The draft’s seven rounds begin with “a lot of wait and see; keeping tabs” but accelerate with time.

“During the last four rounds, you’re thinking ahead and starting to negotiate deals in case your players don’t get drafted,” he said. “If it’s a free agent deal, it typically happens within minutes of the draft ending.”

ESPN’s broadcast, Beaudry noted, is two or three picks behind the real-time action, so many of the NFL hopefuls are left somewhat in the dark as to where their future lies.

“It’s definitely anxiety throughout the whole day,” he said. “You can only imagine what it’s like for the player – what city are they moving to, who are their teammates going to be. And there they are, just waiting to hear from me.”

Beaudry said he’s heartened by the continued development of the USFL and XFL as complementary leagues to the NFL.

“For a long time, it’s been if you don’t make it as a 22-year-old, there are no other options,” he said.

Pihlstrom is Beaudry’s first client signed to an NFL 90-man roster.

“A big jump forward,” he said. “Hopefully, we can carry that momentum into 2024 and see where this thing goes.”

Wherever his path may lead, Beaudry remains energized and directed by the influence of sports.

“You play a game for an hour, and it’s a microcosm of life,” he said. “The adversity, the success. Learning to manage that as an athlete and as a coach has made me who I am.”