Jacoby Brissett Explained Why Arizona Gave Jeremiyah Love $50 Million and It Says a Lot

The Cardinals didn’t draft Jeremiyah Love third overall just to hand the ball off and hope for the best. They paid the kid. And veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett already knows why.

“I see why we paid him $50 million, that’s for sure.” Brissett said it with a grin during training camp, and the clip hit social media fast. The full quote lands somewhere between a teammate’s vote of confidence and a straight-up warning to the rest of the NFC West.

Love signed a fully guaranteed four-year rookie deal worth north of $50 million. That’s a lot of money for a running back in today’s league, but Arizona isn’t playing it safe. The franchise is coming out of the Kyler Murray era and reshaping everything offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur wants to do. Love is the guy they’re building around.

And he’s looked the part so far. The former Notre Dame star brings track-level speed and legit hands out of the backfield. He can run between the tackles or bounce outside and turn a five-yard gain into a house call. Teammates have been buzzing about him since OTAs. Brissett’s quote just made it official.

Of course, Love isn’t alone back there. James Conner is still on the roster. Tyler Allgeier came over from Atlanta this offseason. So the Cardinals have a deep rotation. But LaFleur’s offense is motion-heavy and built to create mismatches in space. That’s Love’s game. He’ll be on the field plenty.

Arizona spent the entire offseason tearing down and rebuilding around a new identity. They moved on from Murray. They signed Brissett to a restructured deal that gives them stability at quarterback without sacrificing flexibility. They loaded up on veteran role players. And they used the third pick in the 2026 draft to make Love the centerpiece.

The plan is pretty clear now. Brissett will manage the game and distribute the ball. Love will be the explosive element. If he stays healthy (and that’s always the question with rookie running backs), the Cardinals could surprise some people in a division where nobody has separated themselves yet.

Love has a long way to go, obviously. Preseason hype doesn’t win games. But when your quarterback says you were worth every dollar before you’ve even played a regular-season snap, that’s a pretty good start.