Demond Williams' agent Doug Hendrickson ends representation of Washington QB amid transfer controversy

The Demond Williams saga has taken another dramatic turn. Just days after news emerged that Williams was trying to get out of his NIL contract with Washington, Williams’ agent announced he had dropped the star quarterback as a client.

Doug Hendrickson, the president of Wasserman Football, announced the news on Twitter with a short memo. It offered little detail beyond the parting of ways.

“I have made the decision to end my representation of Demond Williams Jr. effective immediately due to philosophical differences,” Hendrickson wrote. “Demond is an incredible talent and we wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors.”

Shortly following Hendrickson’s announcement, attorney Darren Heitner announced he has taken on Williams as a client in a legal capacity. It’s unclear exactly what role he will have, and Heitner offered “no public comment at this time.”

So what exactly happened with Demond Williams? Well, on Jan. 2, the star quarterback reportedly inked a lucrative NIL deal with Washington, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the country.

Four days later, news emerged that Williams planned to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The news stunned Washington and the college football world. But the Huskies might have at least some recourse by virtue of the contract.

According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Williams recently signed a one-year revenue-sharing agreement with the Huskies worth approximately $4 million. The agreement is a Big Ten–approved template used by all conference members and was specifically designed to address scenarios like this.

The contract evidently prohibits Williams from entering the transfer portal once signed and restricts his NIL rights from being used by another school. He’s still allowed to pursue outside marketing deals per Dellenger.

As a result, Washington has declined to enter Demond Williams’ name into the portal, which prevents him from holding conversations with other programs. Dellenger reported that Big Ten Conference commissioner Tony Petitti is heavily involved in the matter, along with other league officials.

Additionally, the conference is backing Washington’s firm stance. Coincidentally, Petitti was in Seattle this week for a memorial service while discussions continue.

Moreover, Washington officials were expected to communicate with Williams’ representatives regarding next steps. The school suspects Williams has already spoken with other programs and plans to submit any evidence of tampering to both the conference and the NCAA. LSU is believed to be the program most interested in Williams.

How the news of Demond Williams now having new representation will affect things remains to be seen. But it’s a saga many in the college football world are watching with anticipation.

On3’s Steve Samra also contributed to this report.