DeAndre Hopkins: "Equity Deals Only"
Discover more from Huddle Up
DeAndre Hopkins: "Equity Deals Only"
DeAndre Hopkins has been one of the most impressive NFL receivers since entering the league in 2013, but is he even better off of it?
Every morning I write an email discussing the business and money behind sports. If you would like to receive it directly in your inbox, subscribe now.
Friends,
Since entering the NFL as the 27th overall pick in the 2013 draft, DeAndre Hopkins has consistently dominated. The former Clemson WR has recorded almost 10,000 yards and 60 touchdowns — both which rank top 3 in the NFL.
The interesting part?
He’s becoming just as dominant off-the-field.
DeAndre Hopkins was named to Forbes “30 Under 30” sports list yesterday, joining a group of rising sportswriters, agents and fellow athletes.
The reason?
His investment acumen.
From a business standpoint, there is only one logical place to start with DeAndre Hopkins — his NFL contract.
After being traded from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals earlier this year, DeAndre Hopkins negotiated his own record-breaking 2-year, $54.5 million extension — making him the highest paid non-QB ever.
While I firmly believe agents provide tangible value beyond standard contract negotiations—especially to younger & non-elite players—it’s hard to argue an NFL agent could have done any better than Hopkins did.
Here are the details:
Two-year, $54.5 million deal
$42.75 million fully guaranteed
$27.25 million per year
$27.5 million signing bonus
No trade clause
For me, a couple things stick out…
Hopkins got almost 80% of his extension fully guaranteed.
Hopkins received 50% of the total contract upon signing — over $27 million in total.
Even better, by negotiating his own deal, DeAndre Hopkins saved himself $545,000 to $1.6 million in agent fees.
Outside of his NFL contract, which will be his largest income source in the short term, DeAndre Hopkins has made several investments in growing companies — mostly related to his passion of health, wellness, and fitness.
Here are a few of his investments…
Beyond Meat — In February 2019, DeAndre Hopkins, along with other prominent athletes like Kyrie Irving and Shaq, invested in plant-based meat substitute company “Beyond Meat.”
Beyond Meat went public months later at $25 per share, but now sits at $136 — meaning Hopkins is up more than 5x his original investment.
Oars + Alps — In May 2020, DeAndre Hopkins joined natural skincare brand Oars + Alps as an endorser of the product. After launching in the fall of 2016, Oars + Alps was acquired by SC Johnson less than 36 months later for $20 million.
Therabody — In September 2020, Hopkins was announced as an investor and endorser for Therabody, which is “the global leader in wellness technology,” best-known for their percussive massage therapy devices.
BioSteel — Just one week after announcing his deal with Therabody, DeAndre Hopkins signed a multi-year deal with sports drink company BioSteel — which also saw him come on board as an investor.
Outside of equity investments in popular consumer brands, DeAndre Hopkins has also built out an impressive real estate portfolio.
In total, Hopkins real estate company “Stim Real Estate Group,” owns nearly two dozen housing properties throughout Texas.
In case you still don’t believe DeAndre Hopkins knows what he’s doing, check out his tweet from yesterday when the Forbes “30 under 30” list was announced:
When it comes to the finances of professional athletes, DeAndre Hopkins is just another example of how far we have come.
Long gone are the headlines of athletes losing all their money. Instead, today’s professional athlete is more educated than ever on their ability to use their platform as financial leverage.
As time moves on, the shift will only become more dramatic.
If you enjoyed today’s email, subscribe to receive future emails directly in your inbox.
This Newsletter Is Brought To You By…
Don’t sacrifice your ability to be healthy, active, and at your best to enjoy a great beer - Athletic Brewing has created an innovative lineup of refreshing, non-alcoholic craft beers. At Athletic Brewing, they're all about re-imagining beer for the modern adult.
With Athletic beers, you can have the full relaxing ritual of drinking a great beer to wind down the day, with your dinner, or day drinking, without derailing the rest of your day or week.
Looking for a great beer for Sunday through Thursday nights? Athletic's got you covered.
Give them a try - use “JOE25” for 25% off your first order at athleticbrewing.com.