Mark Levin – NFL Players Association Salary Cap Guru

During a 37-year career with the NFL Players Association, Mark Levin (Temple ’86) was in a select group of people who really understood how salary caps affect teams, players, and agents. He was the go-to guy for contract-related questions about expectations, negotiations, and closing deals.

Though he was a behind-the-scenes player in pro football, he left an indelible print on the NFL and may have been instrumental in some of your favorite players signing on the dotted line. 

Sports were always a passion

Mark attributes his sports fandom to his father who was originally from Philly and also attended Temple U. Mark’s family moved to Maryland before he was born, so his sports allegiances were built around the Washington D.C. area teams. 

Mark’s love of sports was born of America’s pastime, baseball. He explained, “My dad was a huge Phillies fan.” His dad took him to his first Washington Senators baseball game when he was five years-old in 1969. Sports would always be a big influence in his life and he wanted to be a part of it, professionally.

Turning pastime into profession

Mark initially set his sights on becoming a sports commentator, so he enrolled at Temple who had a well-regarded Radio Television and Film (RTF) program, though brothers joked that RTF was an acronym for “Rather Than Fail.”

He said, “I took a broadcast journalism class, but I got a little too nervous in front of the camera once the red light came on, so I switched my emphasis to sports writing.” He then started to focus on Public Relations.

Taking advantage of opportunities

While seeking PR internships, Mark found little opportunity in sports, so he reached out to a high school friend whose father was the PR Director of the NFLPA. Mark said, “Instead of going off and carousing with my fraternity buddies, I came home and worked at the Players Association.”

Mark was hired as a low-level PR staffer, but he soaked in knowledge about the industry and became a trusted employee. As the NFLPA grew, its structure changed and Mark was given more opportunities to grow by NFL Hall of Famer and Executive Director of the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw. 

Mark said, “Gene told me that Raiders owner, Al Davis, would tell every player on the O-line that they were the highest paid offensive linemen on the team. Only one of them was being told the truth.”

Mark eventually became the Director of Salary Cap & Agent Administration, where he became one of the most influential representatives of players, and a trusted advisor to agents in the salary cap era. 

Becoming a salary cap guru

Mark was appointed to be the point-man who fought for transparency. He worked primarily with agents and became the bridge between agents and owners by knowing the data. 

He tackled the challenge even though he didn’t have a law or a finance degree saying, “I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by lawyers who literally wrote the collective bargaining agreement. So I had great mentors to teach me. I just learned. I learned the numbers, how to negotiate, leverage strategy, and when to say yes or no.”

In 2000, Mark got an opportunity to work for his hometown franchise, the Washington Redskins (now Commanders), under owner Daniel Snyder as their salary cap manager and chief contract negotiator, but didn’t care for the corporate culture. He said, “I have never rooted for them since, except when they played Dallas.”

In 2002, he returned to the NFLPA, where he always found working for the organization a real pleasure. The perks weren’t bad either. He attended just about every Super Bowl until Covid ruined it for everyone.

Not every player in the NFL is a big-name millionaire, and Mark was happy to represent all the players’ interests. When a linebacker for the Denver Broncos fired his agent and decided to represent himself, he contacted Mark, who helped him by providing salary data and the right things to say in his negotiation. The player was so grateful after getting his contract, he sent Mark a check for $10,000. Mark was touched by the gesture and kept it as a token, but never cashed the check. It was part of his job.

Brushes with NFL greatness

During collective bargaining agreements, Mark was a part of the NFLPA negotiating committee. He said, “I was sitting across the table from Roger Goodell, Robert Kraft, Jerry Jones, and Art Rooney, Jr. I was like the little kid at the dinner table.”

At an annual player rep meeting in Maui in the 90s, he met NFLPA reps from the Philadelphia Eagles at a nightclub. Mark learned the hard way never to go shot for shot with linemen and linebackers saying, “That didn’t work out too well for me.”

When Mark worked for the Redskins, he got to travel with the team. He remembers walking off of the team bus in Kansas City, where Chiefs fans formed a “welcoming committee.” One of the KC faithful, noting Mark’s compact size shouted, “Hey, there’s Daniel Snyder’s little brother!” 

Mark admitted, “I had to laugh. We did, kind of look alike.” It was a pretty sweet burn.

Sharing his experience

Mark believes in giving back to Pilam and students who are interested in the sports management industry saying, “I do a lot of speaking at colleges for students who want to break into the sports business.” He also hosted students at the NFLPA headquarters through arrangements with Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management.

Pilam is still a big part of his life

When asked why he joined Pilam Mark said, “Let’s face it, you don’t go to Temple for the Greek life. I never thought I’d join a fraternity, but I lived in Philly year-round and Pilam hosted summer happy hours. I started hanging around and making friends. They convinced me to pledge as a junior. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t join earlier.” 

In 1986, he used his NFL connections to help the chapter coordinate a charity basketball game against former NFL players including Harold Carmichael and Wally Henry from the Philadelphia Eagles. Former Giant and 49er Al Dixon joked, “I’m just glad that I survived.”

Mark gets together regularly with classmates to socialize, play golf, and attend sporting events. He said, “I still count a number of brothers as very close friends, and try to get together at least once a year. I’m truly grateful for the great friendships that I’ve maintained over all these years.” 

Life after the NFLPA – Pro Football Consulting

Last year, Mark started his own consulting firm called Pro Football Consulting with a long-time NFLPA associate. They offer years of experience in strategic contract and salary cap analysis, negotiation advice, and legal guidance. They also provide comprehensive New Agent Exam test prep for those who strive to become certified NFL agents.