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Before Jeremiyah Love has taken an NFL snap, veteran running backs already must be pretty jealous of him.
That’s because the third overall pick of last month’s NFL Draft officially signed his rookie deal of $53 million on Friday.
Love’s deal is the most guaranteed money ever given to a running back in NFL history, by a wide margin.
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Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love runs during rookie minicamp at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, Arizona, on May 8, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The previous record was the $36 million Saquon Barkley got by signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025. Just below him is Ashton Jeanty’s rookie deal of $35.9 million.
Love impressed with Notre Dame and shot up the draft boards, and the Arizona Cardinals did not let him slip past them.
He ran for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season for the Fighting Irish, while surpassing 100 yards in six of his 14 showings. He even rushed for a whopping 228 yards against the USC Trojans.
Love became the highest drafted running back since the New York Giants selected Barkley second overall out of Penn State in 2018. And he joins a Cardinals offense that will be revamped under new head coach Mike LaFleur.
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love runs during rookie minicamp at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, Arizona, on May 8, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
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Despite the payday, though, Love has already decided that he is going to be careful with his money.
“I’m not spending any of my NFL checks,” Love said to BRGridiron. “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.”
Instead, Love said he would spend his endorsement money during his career. Even then, he isn’t thinking about a lavish lifestyle for himself.
“First thing I might buy with my marketing money is a house for my parents, car for my dad,” he explained. “Shoot, I’m gonna put myself last. I’m going to take care of my family first.”
The running back market stalled for quite a while, but in recent offseasons, it seems like front offices have reversed course.
Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame celebrates after being selected as the third overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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But if Love does not live up to the payday, it could be a trendsetter for how front offices view the position in the future.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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