Former Kansas City Chiefs Lineman Jeff Criswell Takes the Field for Elliman’s S&E Division

At 6’7” and nearly 300 pounds, Jeff Criswell acknowledges that he “might be a little intimidating” to some people.   Of course, in his previous career as an offensive lineman in the National Football League, intimidating people was a job requirement. But these days, as a Greenwich, Conn.-based agent in Douglas Elliman’s Sports & Entertainment division , Criswell is all about making sure his clients know that he’s got their backs.   “I love working with people and trying to do everything I can to help make their dreams come true,” he said. “And as a fiduciary, it’s my job to look out for their interests. I take that very seriously.”   Besides, he added, “I’m probably the nicest guy I know!”   Former NFL lineman Jeff Criswell with his wife, Lisa Sullivan, at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Criswell) Before retiring from the NFL in 1998, Criswell played a starting tackle and guard for the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs for 12 seasons—a remarkable run in a sport with an average career length of 3.3 years. But he didn’t wait until retirement to begin laying the foundation for his next career.   “I’ve been buying and developing my own properties for 30 years,” he said.    Jeff Criswell during his tenure with the New York Jets... ...and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photos courtesy of Jeff Criswell). Along with buying commercial real estate for the small chain of car washes he started in Kansas City, during his tenure with the Chiefs, Criswell built a home and developed another 25 homes on 10 acres of land in the KC suburb of Lee’s Summit.    While he explored other post-retirement career paths, including serving as the president of a publicly traded marketing company called CyberAds, he still kept a foot in real estate.   “I was always on the development side,” he said. But after reconnecting with his college sweetheart, Lisa Sullivan, and relocating to Connecticut in 2015, Criswell decided to join Lisa in getting a real estate license. The two began working as partners in Greenwich and have since expanded to Florida, where the avid golfers spend much of the year.    After working both independently and occasionally with other brokerages, Criswell was persuaded to join Elliman by his friend and fellow NFL veteran Brett Miller , a longtime California-based agent in the Sports & Entertainment division.    “Some S&E divisions are little more than a title, something to put on your business card or letterhead,” said Criswell, noting that many of today’s professional athletes are insulated by their franchises and financial advisors, making it tough for many agents to plug in.   Elliman, he said, has been invaluable for accessing players, forging vital relationships with the NFLPA and other professional players organizations, and engaging them in real estate opportunities, both as clients and potential professionals.   “Nobody does it like Douglas Elliman,” he said. “Nobody’s even trying it.”   Although it’s been 25 years since Criswell left the NFL, football remains a big part of his life. A native Iowan and graduate of Graceland University—where he holds the distinction of being the only Graceland Hall of Famer to have his jersey number, #69, retired—he has worked with his alma mater to rebuild its football program. Since 2018, he has served as offensive and defensive line coach for a prep school in Greenwich. And recently he was inducted into 2023 class of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame.   Whether in football or real estate, Criswell values the opportunities to connect with people and form lifelong relationships.   “I’ve had a lot of experience in buying and selling real estate, and I like to share that expertise with people,” he said. “The same with football: I love to talk about technical things in football. Either way, it’s about being a good coach.”