Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) walks on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Commanders star reveals the biggest mistake NFL players make

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Aug 2, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner isn’t just an All-Pro player on a direct path to the Hall of Fame; he’s a successful businessman within and outside of the NFL.

For about a decade now, the Commanders’ linebacker has been his own agent and brokered some of the biggest deals of his own career without having to pay someone else to do the negotiating.

It’s a decision he made based on the guidance of others and is looking to pass his own experience down to younger Washington players, using his position of authority to benefit others.

Wagner shared his thoughts on the need to fully grasp the business side of being an NFL player, discussing the “middleman” that so many rely on for not only playing contracts, but endorsements and other deals as well.

When their playing days come to a close, many find the connection they thought they had actually belonged to their agents, and not them directly.

That kind of realization, so shortly after losing your main source of income for so many years, can be unsettling and sets players back if they aren’t properly prepared.

“I would encourage guys to really dive into the business side of the game because I feel like... You have this middleman that is basically taking care of everything for a long time. And things that I see when guys retire is that middleman kind of goes away. And this sport that you played or endorsement that you had your whole career, you never took the time to understand how that business was running. You lose that relationship, because the relationship was with the agent,” Wagner says.

Wagner acknowledges that the idea of representing themselves can feel daunting, but making that commitment to yourself can pay off big time. “From most of my biggest deals, I did. And it was my version of, obviously, I'm playing the sport all the time, and so it was my version of taking a chance in the business world, and I took a chance with myself,” he shared.

For NFL players, their days in pads are not intended to be the largest portion of their professional lives. Yet, life after football is something that many fail to fully understand as they rely on others to navigate the sometimes choppy waters that come with it.

As for the business surrounding teammate Terry McLaurin’s contract negotiations, Wagner says one key to business is understanding when something is none of yours, and that situation fits into that lane for him.