Since entering the NFL as the No. 2 overall pick in 2018, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley has earned nearly $80 million in salary and bonuses. But he has not relied solely on football to build his wealth.
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The 28-year-old has invested millions in tech startups and venture capital funds, ranging from artificial intelligence firm Anthropic to Elon Musk’s neurotech company Neuralink, as well as the prediction market Polymarket and Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund.
“I was just thinking about how I can only play for so long, so I really gotta take advantage, keep investing, and create wealth for me and my family,” Barkley told CNBC last week.
Early in his career, Barkley followed the path of financial prudence. Rather than spending his $31.2 million rookie contract, he parked much of it in traditional investments, including S&P 500 index funds, while living off endorsement deals with Nike, Pepsi, and Toyota, which collectively earn him an estimated $10 million per year, according to reports. He also purchased real estate, including a $3.9 million home in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
Over time, Barkley became more adventurous with his investments. He funded over ten startups with individual stakes of $250,000 to $500,000, often guided by recommendations from his business manager’s network. He cites controversial Silicon Valley conservative Peter Thiel’s book “Zero to One” as inspiration for his move into startup investing and personally vets each company’s founders before committing. “It’s about asking them what they stand for, what their mission is, why they think they’ll be successful,” he said.
Barkley’s financial strategy also includes embracing emerging technologies. In 2021, he invested in the mobile payments app Strike and committed to converting all marketing and endorsement earnings into bitcoin — a move that turned a $10 million stream into a $35 million asset as cryptocurrency prices surged.
A torn ACL in 2020 forced him to focus on building wealth outside football to ensure financial security for himself and his family. But he is now in his eighth NFL season and still keeping his crypto investments flowing.
