Who is Kirk Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney? Meet former NFL pro who engineered 4-year Falcons deal in free agency
Mike McCartney was responsible for one of the biggest news on the first day that NFL teams are allowed to speak to agents about signing new players once the new league year starts, which sends the NFL world into a frenzy. And this is a huge day for NFL agents.
Mike McCartney is the agent of new Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will sign a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons on Wednesday. The news was tweeted by the agent himself.
The agent regularly breaks news on his X page and calls himself a guy who has been involved in the NFL circles throughout his life. Let's get to know more about him:
Kirk Cousins' agent Mike McCartney broke the news about his new team
Starting his career as a coach, McCartney is a former quarterback coach at the Colorado university, the son of Bill McCartney, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, who won a national championship with the Buffaloes in 1990.
He then moved to an executive role in the NFL, working as the director of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles right before the turn of the century. He later left the league to move for Director of Football Operations for Priority Sport, a rare career path from the NFL to a major representation firm.
He also had stints as a pro scout in the NFL, both for the Eagles and the Chicago Bears. While he calls his father his biggest mentor, he decided that his career would be better served away from the sidelines and working as an executive for NFL teams. He moved paths once again later.
Mike McCartney is an NFLPA-certified agent for Vayner Sport - and no, he has nothing to do with the Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, besides the similarities in their last names.
He also regularly writes about NFL games on Twitter while they're happening - he recently praised Patrick Mahomes, saying that "he's got great coaches and teammates, but it's Mahomes that's special, especially when it counts."
He has also been a coach at the University of North Carolina.