The Needle Vol. 17

CONNECTION

Playing with the Pros

Great REALTOR s ® can certainly get famous (thanks Bravo!), but some of them are ballers to begin with. That’s certainly the case with former linebacker and Compass agent Kyle Bosworth. After playing for UCLA, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010 as an undrafted free agent. Three years later, he briefly joined the Giants before finishing out his career with 14 appearances for the Dallas Cowboys. Life after professional sports isn’t always glamorous, but after retiring from the NFL in 2014, Kyle married Kara Keough from The Real Housewives of Orange County, settled back in Jacksonville, and embarked on a successful second career in real estate. By 2015, Kyle was quickly making a name for himself as a trusted property advisor to pro athletes. Today, he handles a majority of deals for the Jaguars. “It’s a hard circle to break into for most people, but being a former pro athlete, I come with a built-in level of trust and understanding,” Kyle explains. “People can be intimidated around pro athletes, but my clients trust me because I know what they’re going through.” As part of the Sports & Entertainment Division at Compass, Kyle helps new and seasoned athletes buy, sell, rent, and invest. One big advantage is his understanding of pro sports contracts. “I tell rookies that unless you’re a first round pick and know you’ll be here for a while, it’s better to rent,” he explains. “Those early years can be unstable. Some guys get their signing bonus and immediately want the giant house, but I steer them away. They don’t know what they can afford, or realize that you need two years of W2s to get financing.” As Kyle well knows, the world can be full of pitfalls for young men with newfound financial freedom. “I want to keep them from ending up in an ESPN 30 for 30 about broke athletes,” he says. “Many of these guys are buying nice homes by the age of 22 or 23. That’s

KYLE BOSWORTH kyle.bosworth@compass.com 904.290.5027 FIELDING OFFERS & SCORING DEALS

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