With NFL training camps around the corner, star athletes like Jalen Hurts, Myles Garrett, and Will Anderson Jr. are gearing up for another season of eye-popping paychecks and even bigger expectations.

But before they were handed generational wealth, endorsement deals, and insanely good contracts—each of them had to decide what to do with their very first million. Some flexed a little. Others played it smart. And some did a bit of both.

Keep reading to find out how these Black NFL stars made their first seven figures count!

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Myles Garrett Myles Garrett at The 2026 TIME100 Gala held at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Let’s start with new Los Angeles Rams player Myles Garrett. Speaking with GQ, he detailed that he spent the bulk of his money on a plot of land and a Porsche Turbo S for about $260,000 and $220,000, respectively.

The next big purchases for Garret included a new townhome in Ohio (he was initially drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2017) that ran him about $200,000 and a new car for his dad, specifically a BMW M6 for $130,000.

The next few things he bought were his first Rolex watch, a new winter wardrobe for those cold Cleveland months, and new diamonds to add to his mother’s wedding ring for $50,000, $40,000, and $20,000, respectively.

The remaining $40,000 went to a new gaming setup, a guitar signed by Prince, a custom Jurassic Park mirror, and a donation to his church for about $10K each.

Jalen Hurts Jalen Hurts at the Fanatics Flag Football Classic Press Conference & Practice held at BMO Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images)

When it comes to Super Bowl champ and Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts, you might be surprised to know that within the first year that he was drafted, he actually didn’t spend a million dollars, according to GQ. And why is that, you may ask? That’s because for Hurts, saving money and spending it wisely was a bit more important.

In actuality, he only spent about $192,000 of his first million after getting drafted in 2020 and put the rest in savings. But lucky for us, he still gave GQ a breakdown on how he spent his coins. About $81K went towards a fashion shopping spree, which included multiple bomber jackets, hats, jewelry, shoes, and Philly gear ($31K); a new apartment, and his regular living expenses like rent, wi-Fi, and phone bill ($30K); and payment towards his agent and financial advisor ($20K).

The next large chunk of Hurts’ spending went towards a philanthropical endeavor, specifically the Philly non-profit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, where he gave $60,000 to a family for Christmas.

Of course, the talented athlete had to break some off for his family, which ended up looking like spending $15K on home improvement projects for his mother, and $1K as a gift to his brother’s wedding. He also put aside $70K for his younger sister’s college tuition.

The remaining $35,000 went towards off-season training and self-care (about $10K), paying off the used car he had had since college (another $10K) and putting aside another $15k for future vacations with family and friends.

Will Anderson Jr. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – February 1: Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans smiles during a Pro Bowl team practice during the NFL Pro Bowl Games at Moscone Center South on February 1, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

For popular Houston Texans player Will Anderson Jr., who was drafted in 2023, his first million dollars was also spent on a myriad of things, most of which were family-related. Some of those purchases included a wide variety of Coach purses for his sisters for about $10K, a new house for his parents ($500K), a surprise birthday party one year ($20K), and a fully-funded family trip to Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida for $30,000.

However, just because Anderson Jr. may be a big family man, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to buy things that he likes. For the draft specifically, he splurged on a custom, jeweled-out “Terminator” chain for about $60,000. He would later gift himself a space gray Maybach, complete with a white interior and a blue steering wheel, which ran him about $300,000.

Another $85,000 went to a special breed dog ($25K), a shopping spree for a new wardrobe (which included stops at the Prada store) for about $50,000, and a custom varsity jacket for $10K, alone.

The last $1,000 went to miscellaneous purchases like his own Turkey Leg Hut franchise, a Mortal Kombat arcade system, and a fun, fishing tournament with his father in Florida.