Arizona Cardinals' Love signs richest guaranteed rookie deal for running back
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love signed a four-year, $53 million rookie contract on Friday, the largest amount of guaranteed money ever awarded to an NFL running back before a regular-season snap. The third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft surpassed the previous record of $36 million that Saquon Barkley received upon signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025. Ashton Jeanty's rookie deal ranked just behind at $35.9 million.
The Cardinals selected Love out of Notre Dame at No. 3 overall on April 23, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, marking the highest draft position for a running back since the New York Giants took Barkley second overall in 2018. Love joins an Arizona offense set for changes under new head coach Mike LaFleur. He participated in rookie minicamp on May 8, 2026, at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe.
At Notre Dame, Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 14 games last season, topping 100 yards in six outings. He gained 228 yards against USC.
Love plans to avoid spending his NFL salary. "I’m not spending any of my NFL checks," he told 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." He intends to use endorsement earnings for family purchases first: "First thing I might buy with my marketing money is a house for my parents, car for my dad. Shoot, I’m gonna put myself last. I’m going to take care of my family first."
The running back market had stalled but showed signs of rebounding in recent offseasons. Love's contract could influence future evaluations of the position if he fails to match the investment.
