Barkley has signed deals with Nike, Pepsi and Panini, among others, thanks to the help of his Roc Nation teamGETTY IMAGES
Rookie Giants RB Saquon Barkley plans to "invest his contract earnings and only spend money he makes from his endorsements," according to Kirk Meyer of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the '18 NFL Draft, said, "I don't want to touch that (salary). I'm going to invest it. Put it in the right people's hands, learn as I continue to make investments and live off of endorsement deals." He recently bought a house for his parents from that endorsement money and said, "I just hope that I can set an example for future athletes. That I was able to do that without signing my contract just shows that so far I've been making the right decision." Meyer notes once Barkley signs his four-year "fully guaranteed contract" as part of the rookie wage scale, it is "expected to come out to approximately $31 million ($7.75 million per year), giving him the most guaranteed money for a running back in NFL history" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/29). ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan noted Barkley has signed endorsement deals with Nike, Pepsi and Panini, among others, "thanks to the help of his Roc Nation team." He referenced Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski and Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch as having "made an effort not to spend their NFL paychecks, and instead capitalize on their marketability" (ESPN.com, 6/28).
