After breaking into the NFL with Dallas-based Eugene Parker as his agent, wide receiver Dez Bryant switched to Drew Rosenhaus last December, only to return to Parker earlier this month.
Such moves never happen without a reason. According to a Yahoo! Sports report released on Monday, the back channels have been busy over the last three years, as the Miami-based superagent Rosenhaus attempted to woo Bryant advisor David Wells with money in hopes of attracting Bryant's business as early as November, 2009.
Such contact is in violation of the NFL Players Association's agent regulations.
Per the report, Bryant had been receiving cash advances during his eight months as a Rosenhaus client, without the consent of Wells, a successful former bail bondsman who has worked with other athletes, including San Francisco's Michael Crabtree. Bryant had been operating under a budget created for him by Wells and Parker.
When Bryant left Rosenhaus Sports, the agent asked Wells for his money back.
"Drew called me and said, 'We don't want this to get out in the media and we don't want this to get ugly, but Dez owes us some money,'" Wells told Yahoo!, citing a conversation earlier in August. "I said, 'OK, but why are you calling me now? Because you got fired? You didn't call me before you gave (the payments) to him?' … If you knew this kid was on financial restraints, why would you feed the fire?"
Bryant, who received good MRI results appearing to injure his knee on Monday, has not been available for comment since being arrested in July.
Early in camp, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed his approval of Bryant returning to Parker.
"It's nothing against Rosenhaus," Jones said. "But I know the quality person Eugene Parker is, and I think Dez benefits from that."
