Jeremiyah Love’s Rookie Contract Strategy

Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, enters the league with a $53.02 million rookie contract and a $35.02 million signing bonus.

Before the explosive Notre Dame running back takes a single handoff for the Arizona Cardinals, he faces a financial decision that will shape the next decade of his life:

Where should Jeremiyah Love live, and how should he structure his money and residency while he plays in Arizona?

For a position with the shortest average career in the NFL, the answer matters more than ever.

APSM breaks down and determines where the Cardinals rookie should establish his primary residence to maximize his net worth across his potential three-state residency landscape:

His home state (Missouri)
His college state (Indiana)
His drafted state (Arizona)

Does Jeremiyah Love
Own Any Property?

Love was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, starring at Christian Brothers College High School before becoming one of the most dynamic offensive weapons at Notre Dame.

There are no public records of Love owning real estate in Missouri, Indiana, or elsewhere.

What makes Love unique is that post the 2026 NFL Draft, at his first official media appearance, the rookie publicly stated he plans to invest his entire rookie contract and signing bonus into investments and assets, and that he would live off his NIL money he made at Notre Dame instead.

This is the smartest financial strategy a first‑round running back can take.

So, instead of analyzing existing properties, APSM evaluates the three markets available to Love, and suggests the optimal residency choice.

Market #1: Missouri
(Home State)

Median Home Price: ~$260,000
Property Tax Rate: ~0.9%
State Income Tax: 4.95%
Cost of Living: ~10% below U.S. average
Market Trend: 3–5% annual appreciation

Pros

Familiar environment
Affordable housing
Strong rental demand in St. Louis metro

Cons

4.95% income tax
Higher tax burden than Indiana and Arizona
Not ideal for a top‑3 pick with a $35M signing bonus

APSM Take

Missouri is a great place to buy property and is home to Love, but it is not a good residency choice for his time in the NFL.

If he kept Missouri residency, he could potentially owe:

~$1.73M in state taxes on his signing bonus
Millions more lost to taxes across his rookie deal

Market #2: Indiana
(College State)

Median Home Price: ~$230,000
Property Tax Rate: ~0.81%
State Income Tax: 3.05%
Cost of Living: ~10% below U.S. average
Market Trend: Slow, steady appreciation (2-4% annually)

Pros

Extremely affordable housing
Low cost of living
Familiar environment
Stable, predictable market

Cons

3.05% income tax
Lower long‑term appreciation
Limited luxury real estate options

APSM Take

Indiana is fine, but not ideal.

On a ~$35 million signing bonus:

Indiana (3.05%) → ~$1.05M+ in state tax
Arizona (2.5%) → ~$875K

Love saves ~$185K instantly by choosing to move to Arizona.

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Market #3: Arizona
(Drafted State, Suggested Residency Choice)

Median Home Price: ~$440,000
Property Tax Rate: ~0.62%
State Income Tax: 2.5%
Cost of Living: ~5–10% above U.S. average
Market Trend: Strong appreciation (6–10% annually)

Pros

Lower income tax than Indiana and Missouri
Strong luxury real estate market (Scottsdale, Paradise Valley)
High appreciation potential
Booming tech, media, and entertainment sectors
Ideal for daily life as a Cardinal
No tax on signing bonus if residency is established

Cons

Higher cost of living
Market volatility in Phoenix
Must document residency carefully

APSM Take

Arizona is the APSM suggested best financial destination for Love.

The difference between 3.05% (Indiana) and 2.5% (Arizona) may seem small, but on a ~$35M signing bonus, it’s ~$185K saved, or 4x the average U.S. salary just in tax-savings.

Add in the booming housing market, Arizona becomes the clear winner.

Best Housing & Rental Markets

Missouri

Best Housing Markets: St. Louis (Clayton), Kansas City (Lee’s Summit)
Best Rental Markets: St. Louis metro, Kansas City metro
Appreciation Rates: 3–5% annually

Indiana

Best Housing Markets: Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville
Best Rental Markets: Indianapolis metro, Bloomington
Appreciation Rates: 2–4% annually

Arizona

Best Housing Markets: Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Chandler, Gilbert
Best Rental Markets: Phoenix metro, Tempe, Scottsdale
Appreciation Rates: 6–10% annually

Property Tax & Capital Gains Considerations

Property Tax

Missouri: ~0.9%
Indiana: ~0.81%
Arizona: ~0.62% (lowest)

Capital Gains

Missouri: 4.95%
Indiana: 3.05%
Arizona: 2.5% (lowest)

Arizona wins again, lowest property tax + lowest capital gains tax.

Residency Impact on
Love’s Signing Bonus

Gross Signing Bonus: $35,022,048
Federal Tax (37%): $22,063,890

Residency State	State Tax Rate	State Tax on Bonus	Estimated Net Signing Bonus
Arizona	2.5%	$875,551	~$12.08M
Indiana	3.05%	$1.06M	~$11.89M
Missouri	4.95%	$1.73M	~$11.21M

Arizona could potentially save Love:

~$185K vs Indiana
~$855K vs Missouri

This is a meaningful financial win for anyone, not just the running back.

Investment Scenario:
Turning ~$21.5M Into Real Wealth

Using the Arizona residency scenario, if Love were to invest the entirety of his net signing bonus of ~$21.5M he could potentially see returns of the following, seen in the scenario table below:

ROI Rate (5 Years)	Projected Value
10% Return	~$34.6M
12% Return	~$37.9M
15% Return	~$43.3M
20% Return	~$53.6M

Love has already stated he plans to invest his entire rookie contract and signing bonus.

This is the smartest financial move any running back can make. If he sticks to this plan, Love could be worth $50M+ by the end of his rookie deal.

Jock Tax Considerations

NFL players pay jock taxes in nearly every state they play in.

Residency affects:

How much income is taxed at home
How much is taxed on the road
How much of the signing bonus is taxed
How much of the base salary is protected

Arizona Advantage

Lower income tax
Strong real estate appreciation
Clean residency
Lower audit risk (spends most of time there)

Indiana Disadvantage

Higher income tax
Worse housing & rental market
Lower appreciation rates

Missouri Disadvantage

Highest income tax of the three
Lower appreciation than Arizona

Arizona is the cleanest, safest, most defensible residency choice for Love.

APSM Real Estate Verdict

Arizona Should Be His Primary Residence.
Missouri Should Be His Emotional Home,
Not His Tax Home.
Indiana Should Only Be a Rental Market.

If Jeremiyah Love wants to maximize his rookie earnings, protect his signing bonus, and build long‑term wealth, the move is simple:

Establish Arizona residency immediately.
Invest in Arizona real estate.
Avoid Missouri and Indiana residency.
Invest aggressively from Day 1.

Love’s financial future is shaped more by his investment discipline than his address, but Arizona gives him the best foundation.

He is a rookie on the field, but already a role model in financial literacy.

Suggested Real Estate Strategy
for Jeremiyah Love

Primary residence: Arizona (Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Chandler)
Secondary: Missouri property for family or long‑term rental
Work base: Phoenix metro
Invest: Majority of signing bonus into index funds + Arizona real estate
Goal: Build a $40-$50+ million net worth by Year 5

Love is one of the few rookies who already understands the game:

Invest everything.
Live below your means.
Let compounding do the work.

Next Reads

Credits

Written By: Aidan Anderson
Research & Analysis: Apostle Sports Media LLC
Sources: NFL Draft Data, Sportico, Spotrac, Zillow / Redfin Market Research, ESPN, WSJ, APSM Proprietary Analysis
Featured Image: Public Domain / Instagram
Disclaimer: This article contains general financial information for educational purposes and does not constitute professional financial advice.