David L. Dunn

David Dunn is a veteran and prominent NFL player agent at the company Athletes First. Dunn started Athletes First in 2001 after a long and successful career at the agency Steinberg, Moorad, and Dunn. Dunn has led Athletes First from its fledgling status in 2001 to one of the most successful and prominent NFL player agencies in the business today.
Early Years
David Dunn was born in Southern California in 1960. He earned an undergraduate degree from UCLA and a law degree from Hastings College Of Law where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. After briefly working in the legal field for a few years Dunn entered the business of athlete representation in 1989. From 1989-2001 he worked with partners Leigh Steinberg and Jeff Moorad at Steinberg, Moorad, and Dunn. Their agency (SMD) was amongst the industry leaders throughout that entire time period. At SMD, Dunn worked closely with such clients as Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Drew Bledsoe, Russell Maryland, Thurman Thomas, John Lynch, Jeff George, Derrick Thomas, and Kevin Greene. Dunn developed a reputation in the NFL as one of the marquee agents in the league during this time for both his landmark deals , most notably for Bledsoe, Young, and Lynch, as well for having clients who were both the leaders of their teams and leaders in their communities. In short, the kind of players teams look to build their teams around.
Athletes First
Dunn left SMD to form Athletes First with his partners Joby Branion and Brian Murphy in 2001, both formerly of SMD as well. That move lead to several years of legal strife between Athletes First and Assante, the parent company of SMD. Eventually those issues were all settled, as were the resulting issues that Dunn had with the National Football League Players Association which also were due to his departure from SMD and forming of Athletes First.
With all of those issues far behind him as of 2008 Dunn has led Athletes First to unprecedented heights in the last several years. Since 2009 Athletes First has had more players selected in the NFL Draft than any other agency, and the agency has had at least one player drafted in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft every year since 2007, including five players chosen in the 1st Round in 2008. Athletes First current client list includes Pro Bowl players and alternates Ray Lewis, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, Carson Palmer, Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips, Todd Heap, Brandon Meriweather, Brandon Jacobs, Miles Austin, Aaron Rodgers, Brian Waters, Matt Schaub, Clay Matthews, Rob Bironas, and Matt Hasslebeck amongst many others, and Dunn serves as one of the primary agents for the majority of these clients. Dunn has specifically become known as an agent who specializes in representing quarterbacks, and Athletes First currently represents more NFL quarterbacks than any other agency. Additionally, Dunn has represented at least one quarterback in the NFL Draft every year he has been in the industry.
Dunn currently lives in Orange County, California, with his wife LeAnne and their four children, Jennifer, Allison, Katherine, and Michael.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu