Millionaire Moves: How Justin Jefferson is Winning On and Off the Field
- Nathan V. Bremer, CFP®, AAMS®
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
When people talk about professional athletes and money, the stories are usually cautionary tales—lottery-like paydays followed by financial ruin. But today, I want to flip the script.
Let’s talk about a positive money story. And it just so happens to feature my favorite NFL player on my favorite team: Justin Jefferson.
If you watched the Netflix series Receiver in 2024, you probably did a double-take when it showed Jefferson—not in some sprawling mansion with 10-car garages—but living in a townhome. That’s right. One of the NFL’s most electrifying stars, who’s already earned over $50 million in NFL contracts, chose to live in a nice, but very modest (relatively speaking) townhome.
When asked about it later, Jefferson simply said:
“I'm one person. I ain't got no big family. I don't need to be in no $10 million mansion.” - Justin Jefferson
Jefferson’s approach reminds me of one of the core messages in the personal finance classic The Millionaire Next Door—real wealth is often quiet. Most truly wealthy people don’t flaunt it. They live below their means, make intentional decisions, and build financial freedom over time. That mindset is rarely associated with 25-year-old NFL superstars, but Jefferson seems to embody it.
To date, he’s reportedly earned over $51 million—and yet, he’s just now listing his townhome for sale for $439,000. Not $4.3 million. $439k. That’s a staggering display of financial restraint and perspective in a profession where excess often rules the day.
Then in June 2024, Jefferson signed a 4-year, $140 million contract extension with the Vikings, including $110 million guaranteed—the richest contract ever signed by a wide receiver. With that kind of payday, he can afford just about any house he wants. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to keep things low-key.
Because here’s the truth: earning more money doesn’t automatically make someone wealthy. In fact, it often leads to the opposite.
This is what’s known as lifestyle creep—the quiet wealth killer.
As income rises, so does spending. Promotions, raises, or business growth should be opportunities to increase saving and investing—but all too often, that new money gets absorbed by nicer cars, bigger homes, expensive vacations, or just more “stuff.” It feels justified: I’ve earned it. I deserve this. And that might be true—but if every dollar gets spent, there’s nothing left to grow.
Lifestyle creep is so subtle that many people don’t realize it’s happening until it’s too late. Their income doubles, but so do their expenses. The savings rate stays flat. Wealth stagnates. And when unexpected expenses arise—or retirement comes faster than expected—they wonder where all the money went.
Here’s a better approach: don’t let your spending rise as fast as your income. You can enjoy more, do more, and treat yourself as you earn more—just make sure you’re still saving and investing along the way. If your income goes up 6%, maybe your lifestyle only increases by 3%. That gap? That’s what builds wealth.
That’s what makes Jefferson’s choices so powerful. Despite enormous earnings, he’s not chasing the appearance of wealth. He’s practicing the behaviors that build it. Resisting lifestyle creep requires discipline, humility, and a long-term mindset—traits rarely praised in highlight reels, but absolutely essential for financial success.
Whether you make $60,000 a year or $60 million, the principles are the same: Live below your means. Save and invest the difference. Let your income increase your options—not just your expenses.
Justin Jefferson is proving that you can be a superstar on the field and with your money. He’s not just catching touchdowns—he’s catching financial wisdom that most people don’t grasp until much later in life, if at all.
And as a lifelong Vikings fan and financial advisor, I couldn’t be more proud to see #18 setting that kind of example—both in purple and gold, and in green.