Jeff Sperbeck, John Elway’s Former Agent, Dies In Golf Cart Accident With Multimillion-Dollar Net Worth

Built through decades of NFL contract negotiations and savvy business investments.

This article was last updated by on

Jeff Sperbeck’s net worth was the result of his long-standing career in the NFL and ventures like 7Cellars and Next Play Capital.

Jeff Sperbeck built an impressive career as an NFL-certified contract advisor spanning three decades.

Born in 1962/63, Sperbeck represented over 100 NFL football players during his illustrious career that began in the late 1980s.

His journey in the sports management world started in 1988 when he joined Pro Asset Management, establishing himself in the sports marketing and management field.

The following year, he relocated to San Francisco to establish his own sports marketing and events company.

A significant milestone in his career came in 1991 when he partnered with Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers player Ronnie Lott and 49ers running back Roger Craig to form CLS Sports, Inc.

This partnership allowed Sperbeck to manage all marketing and business activities for John Elway and Ronnie Lott, two NFL legends.

Jeff Sperbeck and John Elway
Jeff Sperbeck with his longtime friend, business partner and former agent John Elway (Source: X)

In 1994, he joined forces with Mike Sullivan to create Sullivan & Sperbeck in Northern California, representing numerous NFL players, coaches, and retired legends, including Trent Dilfer, Damon Huard, and Joey Porter.

Sperbeck’s career reached new heights in 2001 when the global sports marketing company Octagon Football acquired Sullivan & Sperbeck.

As the Director of Octagon’s football division until 2009, Sperbeck, alongside Sullivan, expanded the division to represent over 80 active NFL players.

After leaving Octagon, he founded The Novo Agency in 2010, which later merged with Rep1 Sports in 2018.

Throughout his career, Sperbeck maintained close professional relationships with NFL stars and continued to represent coaches, retired players, and select active players until his untimely death on April 30, 2025.

How Jeff Sperbeck Built a $20–30 Million Net Worth Before His Passing

Jeff Sperbeck’s net worth at the time of his death was estimated to be between $20 million and $30 million, a testament to his successful career as a sports agent and entrepreneur.

While exact figures remain undisclosed as his financial details were not made public, several factors contributed to his substantial wealth accumulation over the years.

As an NFL agent involved in over $1 billion worth of contract negotiations throughout his career, Sperbeck earned significant income through commission.

NFL agents typically receive between 1.5% and 3% commissions on player contracts, with the standard rate often being 3%.

Assuming an average commission of 2.5%, Sperbeck’s total earnings from commissions alone could have reached approximately $25 million over his 30-year career.

After accounting for business expenses such as staff salaries, office costs, and travel, his net earnings from commissions likely amounted to around $12.5 million.

Beyond his agent career, Sperbeck diversified his income through various business ventures.

In 2015, he co-founded 7Cellars with a longtime friend and client, John Elway, producing premium and ultra-premium wines from California’s Central Coast and Napa Valley under the names The Farm Collection and Elway’s Reserve.

While specific financial data for 7Cellars is not publicly available, the company’s association with Elway and focus on premium wines suggests it could be valued in the tens of millions, with Sperbeck likely holding a significant stake.

Sperbeck also served as a venture partner at Next Play Capital, a minority-owned investment platform founded in 2014.

This firm raised a $200 million Fund III in 2022, indicating Sperbeck’s involvement in substantial investment opportunities that potentially yielded considerable returns, further boosting his net worth by an estimated $1-5 million.

His affluent lifestyle provided additional evidence of his wealth. Sperbeck resided in Incline Village, Nevada, an exclusive area near Lake Tahoe known for high property values.

At the time of his passing, he was at The Madison Club in La Quinta, California, an exclusive golf community where membership fees and property values reach into the millions.

These details suggest ownership of significant assets, including real estate potentially worth $2-5 million.

When comparing Sperbeck to other top NDL agents like Tom Condon, whose net worth is estimated at around $100 million, it becomes clear that while Sperbeck was successful, he operates at a different level in the industry.

Nevertheless, his long career representing NFL players, combined with his entrepreneurial pursuits and investment activities, established him as a wealthy individual with an estimated net worth of $20-30 million at the time of his death.

In Case You Didn’t Know

  • Jeff Sperbeck attended Sacramento’s Jesuit High School and Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he played quarterback before starting his career as an agent.
  • He helped organize a fundraising effort against distracted driving after his client Greg Knapp (a former 49ers practice squad player and offensive coordinator) was struck and killed while riding his bike in San Ramon in 2021.
  • According to reports, Jeff Sperbeck died after falling off a golf cart driven by John Elway following their visit to the Stagecoach music festival with their wives and Elway’s son.
Aditya Rana
Aditya Rana
Aditya Rana is a skilled editor and writer with a passion for curating compelling content that resonates with sports enthusiasts. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to excellence, he ensures that each piece meets the highest standards of quality and engages readers on a meaningful level.

Expertise:

Content Curation Audience Engagement

Highlights

  • Aditya excels in curating diverse and engaging content that covers a wide range of sports topics, from athlete profiles and event coverage to trend analysis.
  • He develops innovative strategies to enhance audience engagement and interaction.

Experience

With a background in editing and a passion for sports journalism, Aditya brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as an editor and writer. He is dedicated to delivering content that informs, entertains, and enriches the lives of readers, driving the publication's mission to be a trusted source of sports news and insights.

Related articles

Comments

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share article

Latest News