Kessler Father-Son Team Leaves a Lasting Mark on NFL Player Rights

Jeffrey and Andrew Kessler share more than a last name. They share a passion for sports law that has shaped how NFL players get paid and protected. Jeffrey is a top attorney and co-executive chairman at Winston and Strawn. Andrew works as a player agent at Athletes First, a football agency Forbes called the most valuable in 2025. Together, they form a rare father-son duo in the world of professional football.

One of their biggest wins came in 2006. Andrew, then working under agent Tom Condon, helped create a clever contract idea for offensive guard Steve Hutchinson. Hutchinson had been tagged by the Seattle Seahawks. Andrew added a clause that made the entire seven-year contract guaranteed if Hutchinson played two or more regular season games in Washington state. Since Hutchinson was headed to the Minnesota Vikings, who never play in Washington, the clause would never trigger. Seattle could not match the deal. They argued the clause was not a valid part of the contract. But Jeffrey took the case to court and won. Andrew had studied the Collective Bargaining Agreement carefully and believed the clause was a principal term. His father agreed and defended the idea. The ruling forced the league to change its rules to prevent similar moves in the future.

The two men also worked together during the 2011 NFL lockout. Jeffrey needed a top rookie to stand up and challenge the league in court. He needed someone so talented that teams would not punish them for joining the fight. Andrew pointed to Von Miller, a star pass rusher from Texas A&M. Andrew had watched Miller dominate a top offensive tackle in a pre-draft drill and knew he was the right pick. Miller became the face of Brady versus the NFL, a case that helped end the lockout.

Family moments often mix with big legal battles. In 2011, Andrew's son Jordan was born a month early. Jeffrey was on the phone with the NBA at the time, helping settle a separate lockout. He held his newborn grandson while negotiating the deal. Work and family blend in ways most people never experience. Even a vacation in Japan in 2024 turned into a business call. Andrew climbed a mountain in Kyoto to share the news that quarterback Jordan Love had agreed to a four-year extension worth 220 million dollars. The deal included a 75 million dollar signing bonus, making Love briefly the highest-paid player in league history. The Kesslers prove that careers and family can grow side by side.