Priority Sports & Entertainment veteran NFL agent Rick Smith will head up the coaches, front office execs and broadcasters representation division, which was vacated by Mike Tannenbaum, and the two will work together in the next 30 days. Tannenbaum, who started the division for PS&E in April '13 after he was fired as NFL Jets GM, yesterday was named Dolphins VP/Football Operations. Tannenbaum in an e-mail to SportsBusiness Journal wrote, “Rick Smith will be leading the Priority Sports Coaching Division and our transition plan has already started. I will be around for 30 days to assist in the transition.” Priority CEO Mark Bartelstein said Tannenbaum came to him recently and told him about his opportunity to work for the Dolphins, and Bartelstein did not stand in the way of Tannenbaum taking the job. Bartelstein yesterday in a phone interview said, “Mike has done a wonderful job for us and done a great job building our coaches and broadcasting division. But when the (Dolphins) opportunity came his way, it was a dream opportunity for him, and I gave him my blessing. He did a great job for us and I am sure he will do a great job for the Dolphins, so it is a win-win for everybody.” One of the clients Tannenbaum represented at PS&E is Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is reportedly a candidate for the Jets coaching position. Bartelstein said, "Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Smith will work in tandem to bring Dan Quinn’s deal to conclusion." He added Smith has been “heavily involved” in working with Tannenbaum in the coaches and broadcasters division since it was launched.
