On-field success is not the only source of income for pro athletes these days, as many add “investor” to their résumé as a way to secure their financial future after playing.
Five-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins is following the trend.
The 33-year-old signed with the Ravens in March after recent stints with the Chiefs and Titans, and he has earned just under $140 million entering his 13th season in the NFL. But that hasn’t stopped him from planning how he can grow his money once he retires.
As he said in a recent episode of Front Office Sports Today, Hopkins hopes to start his own venture capital fund—something he says he’s working on now.
Hopkins, who has returned to his alma mater to take classes in the offseason, says he’s also educating himself in financial literacy. “You don’t really have a lot of time, especially in-season. So I’ve been dedicating more time in the offseason, taking classes at Clemson and being around the right people,” he tells Front Office Sports. “But I would say early in my career, it really didn’t dawn on me that you need to learn and educate yourself before you go out and just give your money away for investment.”
Hopkins would be joining the ranks of other players who have dipped their toes in the VC world. Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo started BYL Ventures last fall. The Suns’ Kevin Durant started 35 Ventures in 2016, and former NBA player Carmelo Anthony cofounded Melo7 Tech Partners, which funds digital media companies.
Hopkins’s business interests extend beyond venture capital: Last December he signed on as both an investor in and spokesperson for Zico coconut water. And like so many other current and former pro athletes—Tom Brady and Hall of Fame cornerback Charles Woodson are two recent examples—Hopkins says an ownership stake in a pro sports team intrigues him.
“I’ve definitely looked at certain ownership groups in other sports,” Hopkins said. “So, you know, why not the NFL?”
