Sports

Here‘s What Alcohol Did to the Sports Agent Who Inspired ’Jerry Maguire’

Heres What Alcohol Did to the Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg Who Inspired Tom Cruise Character in Jerry Maguire

Celebrity sports agent Leigh Steinberg, the inspiration filed for Tom Cruise's character in "Jerry Maguire," filed for bankruptcy protection Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Leigh Steinberg calls them “checkout days,” when he would drink vodka from morning until night, often straight from the bottle.

Divorced and living alone for the first time, he’d drink while sitting on his balcony overlooking Newport Bay or while in bed, sometimes half-conscious.

He was arrested for DUI and again for public intoxication. In and out of rehab, he ended up on the doorstep of a treatment center for indigent alcoholics, but there wasn’t a bed for him.

“So I had the ignominious distinction of not even being able to get into indigent rehab,” Steinberg said.

Steinberg, the super agent who was the inspiration for Tom Cruise’s character in “Jerry Maguire,” had fallen so hard that in October 2008, he was arrested for investigation of being drunk in public after police received reports of a man “screaming and attempting to climb a hill” near Pacific Coast Highway.

In upscale Newport Beach in Orange County, those things get noticed.

Gone were the days when he had flown in chartered jets with boxing and Hollywood stars and shared limo rides with quarterbacks who had just won the Super Bowl. During one such ride, a dehydrated and excited Steve Young, the newly crowned Super Bowl MVP, threw up on Steinberg‘s and Kerry Collins’ shoes.

In a series of business and personal setbacks that started 10 years ago, it all began to go wrong for Steinberg, who had always had a squeaky clean image. A powerful agent since 1975, his all-star stable of clients included many who would become NFL Hall of Famers, including Young, Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Howie Long, Thurman Thomas, Derrick Thomas and Bruce Smith. He pioneered the concept of voidable years in contracts, secured huge signing bonuses for his clients, prodded players to do the right things off the field and is estimated to have earned well more than $100 million.

Now, the enduring “Jerry Maguire” catchphrase, “Show me the money!” rings hollow.

Late Wednesday, Steinberg, 62, filed for personal bankruptcy protection. The papers show assets of $483,500 and debts of more than $3.1 million. Steinberg said his attorneys are likely to amend the filing with more debts.

The filing shows an average monthly income of $3,583.33 and average monthly expenses of $3,580, for a net monthly income of $3.33.

Court documents show he owes the Irvine Co. $1.4 million in back rent for his Newport Beach office space, $450,000 to former NFL player Chad Morton and $90,000 to longtime client June Jones, the coach at SMU. He owes about $100,000 in various taxes and $50,000 in credit card purchases.

Among the assets Steinberg listed are $475,000 in stock in Kool Systems, a flat screen television worth $1,000, $150 in clothes, $50 in personal memorabilia and a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer worth $6,700.

Not quite a month earlier, an arrest warrant was authorized – but never issued – after Steinberg missed a hearing in a case involving the Irvine Co. debt.

He had let his agent certification lapse and can’t represent NFL players until he can resolve the tangled case that started when an employee took a $300,000 loan from Morton in 2003.

Steinberg said he actually hit bottom two years ago. It’s only now that the depth of his problems is coming to light.

“The reality is that I’m 663 days sober today,” Steinberg said Thursday. “The irony is, this all should have happened two years ago. In other words, the scrutiny, bankruptcy, those stories are like two years after the fall; 663 days after my bomb, after I hit bottom. … The wreckage we’re dealing with is wreckage from the years of drinking.”

Young said it‘s been a few years since he’s been in touch with Steinberg.

“After this last little spate of publicity, I really want to get reconnected with him,” Young said in a phone interview.

“He’s got such a good heart, and he just struggled with this addiction,” said Young, who added that Steinberg was more like a big brother than an agent. “It’s been hard, obviously, to watch and I just, oh boy, it’s tough even telling you about it. But it seems like he’s kind of starting to make the right kind of moves and get it back again in the right place the best he can, and I’m really cheering for him.”

Steinberg said he takes responsibility for everything, including his debts.

“I’m responsible for my drinking,” he said. “There are circumstances, but they’re not excuses. Nothing is an excuse. No one poured alcohol down my throat.”

The series of events that staggered him began when he sued former partner David Dunn, who took dozens of NFL player clients and formed his own agency.

Although he won $44 million, “That was a tough experience to go through,” Steinberg said.

Steinberg said he and his wife lost two homes due to mold, the result of flooding, and their two sons were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which leads to blindness. His father – “The rock of my life” – died in 2004. Steinberg said he also lost “a fair amount of money” in an Internet investment.

“It was like the curses that Moses fed on the Pharaoh,” Steinberg said. “You know, locusts, river of blood, darkness and eventually leading to the first-born.”

He separated from his wife in 2006 and then got divorced.

Steinberg, who was Ben Roethlisberger’s first agent, said it was the first time he had lived on his own.

“I was horribly distraught; having lost my kids, not being able to see them regularly, living in an apartment,” he said. “And I found out that it was legal to do a very strange thing during the day, while it was light outside: One could consume alcohol. In the past I might have drank late at night. And let’s say this, I entered a world that was a Disneyland of drinking. You know, at Super Bowl parties and league meetings and hanging out with players. I mean, alcohol was rampant. And so, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything much different than anyone else.”

Steinberg said that’s when he began “to episodically check out.”

He never drank at the office. “But I might not be at work for a day, or not be at work for two days. And so it started to undermine my oversight, reliability, and I went to several rehabs, but they didn’t work,” he said.

Steinberg said he finally dried out through the Sober Living program.

Having been admonished by those close to him to focus solely on sobering up, his debts turned into lawsuits and a series of default judgments.

Steinberg said his career has been badly damaged by the Morton case. In 2003, without his knowledge, one of Steinberg’s employees took a $300,000 loan from Morton. Morton fired Steinberg as his agent and later sued, saying Steinberg and his employee defaulted on the loan.

Steinberg said he’s made repeated offers to repay the loan, but Morton’s representatives – who were on the losing side in the lawsuit against Dunn – have insisted on collecting money without informing the NFL Players Association that the matter is settled.

Until that happens, Steinberg said he can’t get recertified.

“The subtext of it is that as long as I’m out of business, I can’t compete with that agency. At some levels it seems like it’s less about repaying him and more about the interest of the agents,” Steinberg said.

Morton‘s representatives didn’t return emails seeking comment.

“I can represent players in every sport except football,” said Steinberg, who has been busy writing books, speaking on topics such as concussions and teaching a sports law class at UC Irvine. “There are many other things in the world I can do. But what I’ve been trained to do, and have had success doing for almost 40 years, is working with young men to stimulate their best values, help them adjust to their careers and post-careers and start charitable programs.

“It’s disorienting,” he said. “There was a routine for years: the season, the bowl games, the postseason, free agency, the draft, summer negotiations. There’s a rhythm to it. The Pro Bowl and the rest of it, the league meetings. While I don’t think I would go back to the days of having 150 athletic clients, you know, I still have an interest and a passion for representing athletes.”

Comments (48)

  • HuskerVet
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:33am

    @MrMagoo…
    After hitting bottom, and having a few years of sobriety, I’ve learned to never say “never ”. My own ego and arrogance turned out to be my own worst enemy. I do wish you well.

    Report Post » HuskerVet  
  • The Woot
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:52am

    Take the booze and dope away and reality sits there smiling at your face.

    Report Post » The Woot  
    • G-WHIZ
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:10am

      When [He] started to drink, when he continued for many years, it was not the “alcohol” which did him in. The alcohol would still be in the many bottles if [he] didnot open them. The “it’s not me” religion has too many followers. The SUV, the gun , the(…) are all tools used by this religion to defect blame from where it realy is…the people who use them. I feal “sorry” for him that he chose this rout, but it was only his choice… not the alchohol’s.

      Report Post »  
  • JackSprat
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:40am

    In the high intensity world in which Steinberg lived he often took the easiest route to comfort. Alcohol does seduce a persons soul and does so in an insidious way. That some mock him for what has happened is disgraceful. That he is seeking help is the important thing. Be careful of casting the first stone!

    Report Post » JackSprat  
  • Patrick Henry
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:08am

    abbygirl1994 no where above did he blame a soul he woke up and took responsibilty for all of it please Re-Read

    Psycy net monthly income of $3.33 part of dealing with what we destruct is making ammends, he does not have 3K+ to live off of He nets $3.33 He will work this off and he will be OK again soon! AND SOBER!

    Report Post » Patrick Henry  
  • txn4justice
    Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:34am

    Excuses for no self discipline.

    Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 10:22pm

    .
    I ain’t drunk! I’m Just Drinking……………..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • PATRIOT802
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:47pm

    Why do we always here these sad stories of people making it to the Top of their professions only to Free-Fall to the bottom because of Alcohol and Drugs. I would bet if he was a Pipefitter for Exxon and became an Alcoholic and lost his Family, kids, and all his Assets you wouldnt here a Damn thing about him. He chose to be an Alcoholic and he chose his addiction over his Family and clients, He deserves everthing he asked for. ….Boohoo !… STAND UP & BE RESPONSIBLE, YOU DUMBA$$ !

    Report Post » PATRIOT802  
    • Patrick Henry
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:53am

      PATRIOT802 MrMagoo Psychosis ……………………………………
      Can you please tell me how it feels to be on fire and burnt over 60% of your body? If no, you could not possibly comment negatively on the pain and humiliation etc of this man…………..
      Leigh Steinberg Myself Glenn Beck Robert Downey JR Steven Tyler are just a few who suffer severely from addiction. Booze drugs they all do the same thing! All of us above progressed to that point. We started out just having a few with the guys. Many start out with a few chocolate bars, card games, ladies, hand washing, counting money, etc………. So if your not 450lbs, broke from gambling, trafficking girls, applying suave to your hands, blacking out, or doing Madolf’s time in jail, then God has Blessed you. Just be aware of these sicknesses that do not discriminate any of us here on earth. Many of these sicknesses (people) do not have stories of making it back to sanity, they die ugly deaths after struggling with pain, darkness, embarrassment and hurting all the people who love or loved us. For a long time in my life, I would of traded my addictions (and all that went with it) for 3rd degree burns over 60% of my body, period. I applaud you Mr. Leigh Steinberg keep up the good work, manage your monkeys they don’t go away unless you ingest Jesus and become one of Christ’s Soldiers 100%. I, 1620 days in, and as Glenn have been cured but as long as we serve Our Father Above, AMEN

      Report Post » Patrick Henry  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:41pm

    Was this suppose to be a media story? It read more like a resume.
    Probably the reason for The Blaze running this story is, it’s very similar to what happened to Glenn Beck.

    Glenn found God, and got back on his feet. Did anyone read anywhere in this man’s story, where he gives God any credit for helping him?

    God is the way, the truth, and the life. Booze is never the answer to a problem. It makes a bad situation worse.

    Report Post »  
  • Starkadder
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:11pm

    Who writes these “headlines”? Alcohol did not do anything to this guy, he did it to himself.

    Report Post » Starkadder  
    • abbygirl1994
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:41pm

      Its always someone elses fault… It was my father, it was my mother, my uncle did this to me, the school system did it, oh wait its Bush’s fault.. whatever get over it and take your own destiny.. if your a drunk, its your fault..if your destroying the country its your fault.. God help us, have we become a nation of blamers?

      Report Post » abbygirl1994  
  • vtxphantom
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:41pm

    Looks like he had a fun ride to the top. Ride down is not pleasant. Get off the booze. Learn how to be responsible.

    Report Post »  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:17pm

    Do you know why you won’t let me type “****** me off?”. Because you have built walls. Walls I don’t like. You have made things taboo, a taboo I don’t like. Because nothing is without the reach of the Lord. How are people supposed to get tempered if you build walls?

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:19pm

      How are people suppose to fill the void left by the God if people don’t experience all things?

      Report Post »  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:58pm

    Oh, apparently you want to lose your job. It is written, thou shall not tempt the lord. And the writing not included is: thou shall not tempt the lord, or even the Lord.

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:12pm

      Come now, you‘re not really really going to follow Glenn’s little protocol are you? Have you ever seen a grown man fall apart who thought he had things licked? It’s not a pretty sight.

      Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:49pm

    This is a very sad story. Many have fallen and lost everything by drinking. Drugs are bad but by sheer numbers of lives affected negatively, booze is by far a worse threat overall. A friend of mine calls it the Devil in a bottle. I tend to agree. Word to the wise: when one drinks he or she is playing with fire because it is impossible to say for certain that it won’t ever take over your life. Think of all the accidents, the fighting, the divorces and loss of jobs booze has wrought.

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • 13th Generation American
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:15pm

      Alcohol is a drug

      Report Post » 13th Generation American  
    • lukerw
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 9:03pm

      In Humans… there is No Normal (only what seems Average, today)… rather Individuals are Unique… so you must learn your own abilities, and take self responsibility for your choices.

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:46pm

    IF HE CANT LIVE OFF OF 3500 DOLLARS A MONTH

    MAYBE HE SHOULD MAKE CHANGES TO HIS LIFESTYLE

    you can live quite comfortably if you are careful with your money ………………….this guy is obviously not one of those

    no pity from me on this one

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • shagstar
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 8:34am

      hell,,i live comfortably on just my per diem checks i recieve every week! my payroll money sits in my strongbox un-touched unless i need too buy more ammo!! lol

      Report Post » shagstar  
  • Anthony7
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:30pm

    I am a Recovered Alchoholic. Its no joke, this guys story, I have walked in his shoes. Go ahead and make jokes- KARMA has a funny sense of humor…………………..

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:37pm

      Yeah but, you still haven’t solved your drinking problem, because you still have a drinking problem. You dribble on yourself. No, just kidding. You have the urge to drink because you spend to much time drinking the “Strong drink.” That is : you don’t drink the truth, but rather lies.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:41pm

      You need to start by being honest with yourself, and then sit down and have good cry. But don’t do it in front of people. Just do it, and God will see.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:46pm

      Alcohol in small amounts is good for your stomach. The problem is that you let it carry your soul away. I have a drinking problem, in that I can’t drink past losing control, when I try my soul says “Oh no you don’t, you’re losing control, get a grip”, and that is such a buzz kill.

      Report Post »  
    • larrylarrylarry
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:49pm

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IqEMPYS9XM

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:02pm

      You know what really ****** me off? That they have prophets locked up in insane asylums.

      Report Post »  
    • GeneTracy
      Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:32pm

      Check this one out. http://youtu.be/7ZVWIELHQQY

      Report Post » GeneTracy  
  • whatthecrazy
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:30pm

    My gosh ill be an achoholic by the time i finish the story…………..

    Report Post »  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:26pm

    I was blind once. Oh, about 3000 years ago. It’s not as bad as it seems.

    Report Post »  
  • MrMagoo
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:21pm

    Alcohol ruins so many lives.I like it,but I’ll never let it ruin/control me.Knock on wood.

    Report Post » MrMagoo  
  • Marengo Ohio Patriot
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:00pm

    make mine a double!

    Report Post »  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:52pm

    Well quit drinking booze then. But don’t you dare touch my booze supply. You people keep me barfing 24/7 with your lame understanding of the Bible. That‘s why I can’t bear to go to church. You know how you have locusts in America, you know the locusts who think they deserve all the things you, or you have worked for? That’s what the locusts were that plagued Pharaoh. As in “locusts, river of blood, darkness and eventually leading to the first-born.” And when it says in the New Testament that “And Locusts were his meat” as in referring to John (Elijah) the Baptist food, it’s talking about all the people who think they deserve the things other people have or work for.

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:58pm

      I drink booze, but I don’t touch the “Strong drink” you clowns put out for people to drink.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:12pm

      The freaking “Strong drink” of lies you people put out are far worse for men they any amount of booze can ever be.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:16pm

      Hiccup, Buuurp, Hey Glenn, I just want you to know, I love you man.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 7:24pm

      I mean, even though you’re a half-prophet. But then again, that‘s why you’re going to go blind.

      Report Post »  
  • john9664
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:37pm

    Get a prescription and switch to refer, Leigh.

    Report Post »  
  • timej31
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:30pm

    I need to refresh my drink to read all this. Be right back.

    Report Post » timej31  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on January 14, 2012 at 6:26pm

    What a long story…and you had me at hello…

    Its good he is taking responsibility for his actions. he should bounce back soon enough if he stays on course…

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • Workforit
      Posted on January 14, 2012 at 8:05pm

      @Baddoggy… ” You had me at hello?”… That was funny!

      It is like pretty much everything else in life. To much of a good thing…

      Is always tooooo much of a good thing.

      Excuse me while I go get another drink…

      Report Post »  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love