When assessing the meaning of the nine-month suspension imposed on agent Gary Wichard, it’s important for every agent to understand what it means, and what it doesn’t mean.
For starters, it doesn’t mean the union found that Wichard paid North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin. Many have assumed that, because someone apparently paid Austin, Wichard must have paid Austin. However, Wichard has not been accused of paying Austin.
Indeed, Josh Luchs’ account of agents paying players, which appeared several weeks ago in Sports Illustrated, stressed that Wichard did not pay players during Luchs’ association with him. “Immediately, Gary told me that he recruited differently and that the Wild West way I learned under [Harold Daniels] wasn’t going to fly,” Luchs said. “He said I needed to be ‘reprogrammed.’ There would be no more partying with players, no more paying players. That was music to my ears.”
The language of the NFLPA press release indicates that Wichard violated the so-called “junior rule.” We’ve confirmed via the NFLPA that Wichard ran afoul of the rule that prohibits any contact with players who have not completed their true junior or redshirt sophomore seasons. The communication occurred, we’re told, via a runner.
Previously, agents found to be in violation of this provision received warnings only. Wichard’s case means that, moving forward, real penalties will apply.
And that’s a message every agent should heed. Violating the junior rule no longer will result in a minor embarrassment or inconvenience and/or a slap on the wrist. Significant penalties could occur, as evidenced by Wichard’s nine-month suspension.
