From the time they enter the NFL, players are faced with more than just the challenge of making a roster. They also have to know how to make good choices with big money they never had before.

By Gene Frenette


Calais Campbell knows the NFL money game and about budgeting properly better than anybody in the Jaguars' locker room.

That's because the 12-year defensive lineman is one of the few players lucky enough to have signed three lucrative contracts – two with the Arizona Cardinals at ages 22 and 25, then as a 2017 free agent with the Jaguars – worth nearly a combined $120 million.

Campbell, 33, now in the third year of a four-year, $60 million deal, has learned to navigate through the challenges of managing so much money. The University of Miami product has reached the point in his career where he feels compelled to become almost an unpaid financial advisor to younger players.

“I think the biggest thing is you have to budget your fun,” said Campbell. “That's what I try to tell guys all the time. Honestly, you're going to have 'Momma, I made it' moments, so enjoy yourself. Just budget and make sure you know what you want to spend on things you've earned the right to do.

“The problem is, once guys buy everything they ever wanted, then they sometimes look up and they spend a lot more money than they thought. Understand what your budget is. All this [NFL] money coming in, I try to encourage them to put away 80 percent minimum.”

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For young Jaguars players, especially ones who have yet to sign a second or third contract like Campbell, it's sometimes difficult to resist the temptation to spend big once they receive their first signing bonus.

All those bonuses are slotted, depending on when a player gets drafted, and they run a wide spectrum of disposable income. Josh Allen, the Jaguars' No. 7 overall pick, was given a signing bonus of $14.6 million, while seventh-rounder Dontavius Russell only commanded $83,184.

For undrafted rookies, who usually receive a modest signing bonus ranging from $1,000-$20,000, they have to be penny-pinchers because there's no guarantee of them making the roster.

Two undrafted rookies, safety Andrew Wingard and receiver Michael Walker, who spent much of this season on the practice squad, decided to save money by sharing a modest-priced apartment with quarterback and sixth-round draft pick Gardner Minshew.

Defensive tackle Abry Jones, who made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2013, didn't start going on any spending spree until after he signed a four-year, $15.5 million contract extension in February, 2017.

When the big money came in, he bought a three-bedroom, two-story house a few miles from the ocean and a 2019 BMW 760. Until then, he saved his money and never bought a big-ticket item.

“When you get here, you're 21 or 22-years-old and you got more money than you ever had,” Jones said. “One, you want to get everything you never had. Two, new stuff is popping up that you always want to get. But three, you got a job where you got to save because you never know when it's going to be over.”

Dealing with family obligations

After Campbell was drafted in the second round in 2008 and signed his first contract with Arizona -- a four-year, $3.5 million deal with $1.8 million guaranteed -- he soon got his first taste of what it was like to be a provider.

Though he didn't get married until last year and has never fathered a child, Campbell discovered cashing the NFL version of a Lotto ticket carries a price tag: family and friends wanting a piece of the action.

Campbell has seven siblings, many of them old enough to remember what it was like to grow up in Denver without things most people take for granted.

At a young age, Campbell's family was evicted multiple times and he remembers living in a homeless shelter for a couple months. It wasn't until the end of his high school years that his parents had steady jobs and they lived “more lower middle-class.”

But when Campbell began cashing NFL paychecks, especially after the Cardinals gave him a five-year, $55 million contract extension ($31 million guaranteed) in 2012, he had to be savvy at putting together a family budget to keep up with their money requests.

“When I first got to the NFL, I was doing too much in terms of helping [family],” said Campbell. “A lot of my family members were like, 'We'll just do less because he's helping with more.' Well, that's not what I want. Everybody's situation is different. I'm very close to my family, so I'm going to help them, but I'm going to make sure they help themselves, too.

“I try to be equal [in giving out money], but some people have more needs than others. So it's kind of based on how I feel. You do what's in your heart. It's OK to help your family. Just make sure you budget it because the worst thing is to give away all your money, have everybody spend it, and you're back to being broke when you're done playing, which happens way too much in this league.”

Jones, who is married with no kids, says it's important to set parameters early when it comes to family demands for money.

“You got to tell family from the get-go and draw the rules in the sand,” said Jones. “You let them know what it's going to be and you got to learn to say no. If you're afraid to tell family no, then you're going to have a hard time keeping all your money.”

Fast money, fast cars

The moment rookie linebacker and fourth-round draft Quincy Williams received his $822,180 signing bonus, he knew exactly how he wanted to spend a good chunk of that money: on a really fast car.

His younger brother Quinnen, a first-round pick of the New York Jets and recipient of a $21.7 million signing bonus, purchased a 2019 red Dodge Challenger. So Quincy one-upped him and bought a yellow Corvette Z06 convertible, which offers an engine with supercharged 650 horsepower, for around $95,000.

“When I was kid, the Corvette was my favorite car and my granddad had one,” said Quincy. “I like the 200 style and the speed. When Quinnen got the Dodge Challenger, I had to find something that could beat that car.”

Quincy's agent, Nicole Lynn with Young Money Sports, tried to talk her client out of making such a lavish purchase. It didn't work.

“Oh, for sure, because I was just a rookie,” said Quincy. “She says you got to go for something smaller [in price]. I'm like, 'No, I want an attention-grabber,' so that's why I ended up getting a yellow Z06. She tried to slow me down, but I wasn't going to be hearing that.

“The biggest thing for me [to spend money] is cars and shoes. I spent close to $1,300 on one pair. During the bye week, I was in New York and bought some Christian Louboutin. I've got about 200 pair of shoes. I'll wear the same clothes every day, but I'm coming with a different pair of shoes.”

For rookies drafted in the higher rounds, many of them commanding massive signing bonuses, it's hard to resist the temptation to spend money. Buying a nice car is usually near the top of their wish list.

Second-round draft pick and offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor went car shopping almost immediately after receiving his $3.7 million signing bonus. He bought a AMG GT 63 Mercedes for $170,000.

“I went to different dealerships and that's the car I fell in love with,” said Taylor. “My parents told me I worked hard and I deserved whatever it was I was about to buy. You could say that was a dream car.”

Not all young players who strike it rich in the NFL go for the highest-priced vehicles. Receiver DJ Chark, a second-round pick in 2018, bought a 2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo for $60,000, less than half the price had he bought a brand new 2018 model.

“I like that version of [Porsche] and the body style doesn't change much outside of the lights,” Chark said. “I told myself before the draft I'd only get it if I was taken in the first two rounds. I had calculated everything. I didn't want to spend too much money on a car.”

Neither did Allen, though he could well afford it with his massive signing bonus. Instead of buying a fancy new vehicle, he leased a 2019 Cadillac, adding he was mindful of not being too extravagant with a wife, Kaitlyn, and young son Wesley.

“I'm not a big spender,” said Allen. “I'm thinking about my family first and how much things [like cars] depreciate. Now if I didn't have a family, I would have probably got a Lamborghini truck.”

Yannick Ngakoue, who is still living off his rookie contract, bought a used 2014 Dodge Challenger after he got drafted in 2016. He now drives a used 2014 Mercedes-Benz.

“I'm big on saving money, my Mom raised me the right way, “ said Ngakoue. “Let's put it like this: money enhances whoever you are. If you're a sucker, it's going to amplify it even more. If you're real, it's going to amplify that, too.”

Being smart with money

While it was easy for Jones to show financial restraint in his early NFL years because he made the NFL minimum salary, the reality is many get-rich-quick players need financial counseling.

“When you get all this money, you got to learn how to budget and all about taxes, a lot of stuff to do with money that we were never taught,” said Jones. “Most players that make it to this level, their motivation has come from a place with no money. They don't know how to balance a checkbook or how to budget from month to month.

“In my [2013] draft class, five of the eight players had a financial advisor before we even played a game. I didn't get a financial advisor until I got paid [with a contract extension in 2017]. I was told I needed a financial advisor, but if you're not making money when you first come in the league, I don't want him taking three percent of my salary.”

Chark, who signed a four-year, $4.47 million contract after he was drafted, remembered how much his parents struggled to pay bills when he was a kid. So he used part of his $1.3 million signing bonus to alleviate them of ever having that burden again.

Instead of buying them something extravagant, Chark simply paid off their debts.

“That felt great,” said Chark. “Growing up, my parents were open with me, so I always knew when we were in debt. My parents never asked me for anything. I didn't want them worrying about bills anymore. Instead of buying them a house, I felt like it would be more from the heart to take care of their debt.”

Most NFL players who stay in the league at least five years, and manage their money wisely, have a nice lifestyle. Campbell, the richest Jaguar, owns homes in three different states (the biggest one is for his mother in Arizona) and has five other properties as investments.

“None of us should have to work a day the rest of our life if we get to a second contract and manage the money right,” said Campbell. “It should be we live off our interest.”

The critical factor when it comes to NFL money management is players being diligent enough to learn early how to budget and in whom to trust.

Jones says he got lucky as a rookie because several players, notably veterans Jason Babin and Roy Miller, had different areas of financial expertise that they passed on to him.

“Babin had businesses in California, Chicago and Jacksonville and he taught me a lot about business,” said Jones. “I learned a lot of stuff about the stock market because Miller was big on that. I got a wealth of knowledge that I never had to pay for.”

Every NFL player aspires to strike it rich. Part of achieving that is either by being a high draft pick or staying around long enough to earn a big payday. Either way, managing their money is as important as making it.

gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540