If You Followed Saquon Barkley Into Bitcoin, Here’s Your Return

Several professional athletes have announced taking salary or endorsement money in Bitcoin BTC/USD in recent years, including NFL superstar Saquon Barkley.

Here's a look back at his decision and how much investors could have made following the NFL star running back.

What Happened: Barkley, who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, made a surprising announcement on July 14, 2021, when he announced he would take 100% of his endorsement money in Bitcoin.

The endorsement money was converted to Bitcoin via Strike, a Bitcoin payments company.

"You see inflation. You see how high it is right now," Barkley said at the time.

After missing time the previous season with an injury, Barkley discussed the dilemmas of having enough money in case his career was cut short.

"I'm gonna be taking my marketing money in Bitcoin," Barkley announced on "The Best Business Show With Anthony Pompliano."

When he entered the NFL, Barkley said his plan was to live off his marketing money and save his salary.

"This is the smart thing to do, the right thing to do."

Strike CEO Jack Mallers joined the show and said he was proud of Barkley for taking the step to preserve his wealth for himself and his family.

"His cash is going to be worth half as less in five years," Mallers said, citing inflation.

Mallers pointed out that the average NFL career is 3 1/2 years, providing financial uncertainties for athletes.

Barkley receives over $10 million in endorsements annually, according to Joe Pompliano, who was featured on the show.

Fast forward to 2025 and Barkley is proud of his decision and being able to silence the people who thought he was making a dumb decision.

"People are always gonna have something to say," Barkley said at the recent Coinbase State of Crypto Summit.

Barkley said the decision was made at the right time after talking with his manager, Mallers and Pompliano. Barkley also recalls that he had a phone call with Strategy Inc MSTR Executive Chairman Michael Saylor at the time.

"Back then, he told me I should take all my money and put it in, I think he's doing pretty well."

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Barkley joked that maybe he should've listened to Saylor.

When it comes to finances and investment decisions, Barkley said he never wants to be the smartest person in the world.

"Surround yourself with super smart people."

Investing $1,000 in Bitcoin: Today, Barkley is one of the most followed and talked about NFL stars, topping the league in 2024 for regular season rushes and rushing yards and setting career highs for the NFL star.

Investors who were fans of Barkley may have decided to invest in Bitcoin based on the comments made by the NFL star at the time.

A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin at the daily high on July 14, 2021, could have purchased 0.0302 BTC. Today, that $1,000 investment would be worth $3,155.50, up 215.6%.

Compare that to a $1,000 investment in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY, which tracks the S&P 500 and broader U.S. stock market. The same $1,000 invested in the SPY would be worth $1,362.37 today, up 36.2%.

Barkley's investment of his endorsement money in Bitcoin has significantly outperformed the S&P 500.

What's Next: Barkley enters the 2025 NFL season with the Eagles, hoping to win a second straight Super Bowl.

The Eagles are the favorites to win Super Bowl LX with odds of +650 at the DraftKings Inc DKNG sportsbook. Barkley is the favorite to win the Offensive Player of the Year award in the 2025 NFL season with odds of +650, which would be a second straight win for the Eagles RB.

Barkley will be hoping to escape the "Madden curse," which is often used to describe down years or injuries that happen to players who appear on the cover of the Madden video game.

The Eagles star is the cover athlete for the Madden NFL 26 cover from Electronic Arts Inc EA. Barkley is on the cover doing his reverse hurdle move that he pulled off during a 2024 NFL season game and is also one of the few players to have a perfect 99 score in the game.

Barkley was recently named the number one player by sales for the 2024 season by the NFLPA, becoming the first running back to top the list since 2017. Barkley enters the 2025 season with high expectations and as one of the top players for fans.

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