When Chase Edmonds was 10 years old, he wrote down two goals on a piece of paper: One, reach the NFL, and two, pay off his older sister’s student loans. Now more than a decade later, it’s safe to say he’s well on his way.
Edmonds reached his first goal when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. And thanks to inking a four-year deal worth more than $3 million, he’ll be able to help his sister in a big way.
Edmonds, who was a star running back at Fordham University, was on a full-ride scholarship. However, his sister, Mogan Howell, racked up $80,000 in student loans while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at NC State and a master’s in counseling from Arizona State. Today, she works in Arizona as a therapist for teens who struggle with anxiety, depression and eating disorders.
That’s why throughout his college career, Edmonds was still eyeing his goal of relieving the financial burden.
“I love my big sister. That’s just the least I can do for her. When you’re on full scholarship you don’t realize these bills,” he told ESPN. “These things add up. When my mom told me Morgan’s debt at the time, I said, ‘Wow. If I ever can make it to the NFL that’s something that I would love to do, just to surprise her and pay that off for her so she can really live free and do whatever she wants with her money.'”
Howell didn’t know about his plan until May when, during a press conference, Edmonds revealed his dream to the the media.
“I didn’t realize my student loans were on his radar,” Howell told ESPN. “It’s not something I talk about. It’s not something I complain about. It’s just a reality of going to grad school, unfortunately. I wasn’t surprised, but I was just like … I guess I was surprised.”
The grand gesture is rooted in love, but their bond has always been strong. In fact, Edmonds has been living with his sister instead of staying at the team hotel as he gets ready for the upcoming season.
What are other rookies doing with their signing bonuses? Many are purchasing new cars and jewelry. It’s easy to argue that Edmonds is putting his money toward something much more valuable.