Former Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim is joining Klutch Sports Group as the agency’s general manager, ESPN reported on Thursday.
The two-time National Football League Executive of the Year is believed to be the first NFL GM to join a sports agency in the general manager role.
Clutch CEO Rich Paul, known most famously for being the agent of NBA icon Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James (and his son Bronny James), said on the hiring of Keim, “Steve gives us a tremendous amount of depth through the lens of knowledge, experience and expertise.”
“This is a game changer for us and I imagine the industry. His entire life has been loving the game of football, and we couldn’t be happier to have him join us,” Rich added.
Klutch Sports, the agency founded by Paul in 2012, has a sprawling client portfolio of NBA in NFL stars. Aside from the father-son James duo, Klutch also represents Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Tyrese Maxey, De’Aaron Fox, Trae Young and many other high-profile basketball stars. In the NFL world, its clients include Jalen Hurts, Myles Garrett, Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins.
During his time as GM of the Cardinals from 2013-2023, Keim was credited with many accomplishments, including keeping longtime franchise favorite Larry Fitzgerald on the roster after renegotiating his deal in 2015 and drafting current starting quarterback Kyler Murray in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Cardinals made the playoffs three times in Keim’s 10-season tenure, highlighted by an NFC Conference Championship Game berth after the 2015 season where Arizona lost to the Carolina Panthers.
Keim ended his time in Arizona with a total regular season record of 80-80-2, stepping down to focus on his health after the 2022 season, in which the Cardinals finished last in the NFC West at 4-13 and fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Since his departure from the NFL, Keim has done some podcast and media endeavors, including several appearances on FS1’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
The 52-year-old will now return to a GM position, this time at a sports agency, but with apparently similar responsibilities as he once held with the Cardinals.
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