Jeremiyah Love Refuses to Spend $50M Rookie Deal, Plans to Invest Every Dollar

Jeremiyah Love plans to spend his NFL money on his parents by buying them a house and a car.

Jeremiyah Love Refuses to Spend $50M Rookie Deal, Plans to Invest Every Dollar

Jeremiyah Love (Image via IMAGO)

Jeremiyah Love became the first running back to be taken in the top 5 since Saquon Barkley when the Arizona Cardinals drafted the Notre Dame alum 3rd overall in the 2026 NFL draft. Due to his draft position, Love is expected to become the highest-earning running back in the NFL.

According to Spotrac, Love’s projected contract will be four years, worth about $53 million with a $35 million signing bonus. As first contracts typically are, the contract will be fully guaranteed.

There’s always a question that rookies get asked around this time: how will they spend their rookie contract?

I’m not spending any of my NFL checks. All that money, my financial advisor’s going to take care of all of that. I don’t know about it, it ain’t my job. It’s going to be there making more and more money.

Jeremiyah Love told BR Gridiron

Love has given considerable thought to how he plans to spend his rookie contract money.

First thing I might buy with my marketing money is a house for my parents, [a car for my dad]. Shoot, I’m gonna put myself last. I’m going to take care of my family first.

Love said.

It’s quite the answer for a young man who just turned 20. He definitely has the skill set to earn a second big paycheck in the future. Love spent his entire college career with the Fighting Irish. In 41 games, he racked up 2882 yards and 36 touchdowns on 433 carries. He also caught 63 passes for 594 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The Cardinals saw Jeremiyah Love as the best player available at 3rd overall

Days leading up to the draft in Pittsburgh, mock drafts from Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN linked Love to the Kansas City Chiefs at 9th overall. It made sense because the Chiefs’ run game was non-existent in 2025 when they finished with just six wins. Despite adding Super Bowl winner Kenneth Walker in the offseason, Kiper still viewed the Chiefs as Love’s best landing spot.

Jeremiyah Love Refuses to Spend $50M Rookie Deal, Plans to Invest Every Dollar
Jeremiyah Love (Image via IMAGO)

It was a bit of a surprise that the Cardinals took Love 3rd overall, especially after they signed Tyler Allgeier, who had 8 touchdowns last season. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained the reason behind the Cardinals’ infatuation with Love.

Breer did some digging and found out that the Cardinals had fallen in love with the Doak Walker Award winner at the NFL Combine.

[The Cardinals] could feel his presence, with a confidence that was unforced, and balanced with humility and a comfort in his own skin. So much so, in fact, that they pivoted to being careful [about] showing any more interest, passing on having him in for a [top] 30 visit.

Breer wrote

Instead, the Cardinals held three interviews with Love over Zoom—general manager Monti Ossenfort and RBs coach Matt Merritt were among them. Ossenfort later admitted that they found Love as the perfect man for the run game.

We felt like he was the player that could have the most impact for us, and we were excited that we were able to take him there at number three.

Ossenfort said on the SiriusXM radio show

The Cardinals had the second-worst run game, averaging 93.1 yards per game in 2025. Michael Carter finished as the team’s rushing yards leader with 333 yards and 1 touchdown on 92 carries in 13 games.

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