KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman is entering the final year of his rookie contract worth nearly $5 million.
Hardman was the latest NFL star featured on GQ Sports’ “My First Million” series and he broke down how he made it, what he spent it on, and how much he saved.
He is the latest Chief to be featured in a GQ Sports series. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the star of an “Actually Me” episode, where celebrities go undercover and respond to questions on social media. Former safety Tyrann Mathieu featured on “Tattoo Tour” and “My Essentials“.
The former Georgia Bulldog was born and raised about 30 minutes from the University of Georgia.
“Growin’ up in Bowman, Georgia. It’s fun, it’s small. Everybody knows everybody,” Hardman said.
When he was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Chiefs, he received a signing bonus of $1,652,764.
“Comin’ where I’m from, financially being stable really wasn’t a thing. Paycheck to paycheck, are we gonna be able to do this? Are we gonna be able to pay this?” Hardman said. “I’m not saying that growing up that way was hard, but at times it was difficult and frustrating. Whenever you get a chance to change your life overnight, it was a great feeling to sign that paper and know days are gonna be different from here on out.”
How Hardman spent his first million:
- House for mom and dad: $300,000
- Dodge Challenger Scat Pack for dad: $60,000
- Dodge Durango for mom: $40,000
- Dodge Challenger Redeye Hellcat: $130,000
- Customized Jeep: $35,000
- Shoes: $40,000
- Vacations: $100,000
- Savings: $300,000
Growing up, Hardman said he never thought about spending over $1,000 on a pair of shoes, but now he has more than 20 pairs each worth that much.
As much as he enjoyed his new financial situation, he made sure to set aside some money for savings.
“For guys entering the league, when you make money, I know it’s gonna be overwhelming. You feel like you can get anything in the world, but just know it don’t last long and the more you spend, the more you see it go down fast,” Hardman said. “The best thing is get a financial advisor you trust, budget very well and you’ll be just fine.”
It’s a sentiment his teammate, tight end Travis Kelce, learned the hard way.
“I should have been on the 30 for 30 Broke the way I was spending my money,” Kelce told Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe on the latter’s YouTube series Club Shay Shay. “All the young guys in the league, all the guys that have the opportunity to get that big first check from the NFL, save it, man!”
He went on to agree with Hardman when it comes to finding a financial advisor to help you handle your money.
