- I wasn't too reckless.
Nothing wrong with having a little fun.
[upbeat music]
What's up GQ? I'm Elijah Mitchell.
This is how I made, saved, and spent my first $1 million.
[upbeat music]
I'm from a small town called Erath, Louisiana.
I'm surrounded by sugarcane fields, country stuff,
so its really fun.
I like riding four wheelers, fishing, hunting.
So that's all things I love to do.
I didn't have any jobs growing up,
but I still helped my dad around the house
cutting grass and just helping him with things he had to do.
He didn't give me any money, but somebody had to do it.
And I was the last one in the house, so had to get done.
My dad was very impactful to me.
He taught me right from wrong and to always work hard
and to always do what I'm supposed to do.
I have four brothers, four older brothers.
I really couldn't do everything
with them because they was older than me.
So I was always the one stuck at the house
and helping my dad, so that's how all that started.
At first I wasn't thinking about football,
like being able to play football in the league.
I have to say my sophomore year,
that's when my recruiting process really picked up a lot.
It was a lot of pressure, especially being
from a small town in Erath
and nobody really came out of there and made it to the NFL.
UL was the only school that offered me that was in my area.
Everybody from Erath, they came to UL,
it's like a 20 minute drive.
So my hometown really came to support and everything.
I have to say my freshman year I ended up coming in,
I ended up starting and I really tore it up
on the field that year.
So I was like, "Man, the league could be a opportunity
for me to go."
It was like, is it the right opportunity to leave right now?
Because we had the COVID year.
So it was like, "Am I ready to go?"
At that point in time I was like, "You know what?
It's time for me to go. I just gotta work hard
and continue to do good."
- [Interviewer] Six rounds, what was that like waiting
for your name to be called?
- By the time round five came around, I was kind of like,
"Oh man, what's about to happen? Will I go undrafted?"
Sixth round came, San Francisco 49ers picked me up
and it was the best day of my life.
It was just like my dream came true
and it's like, I made it.
And like I said, it's something that you work
for your whole life.
And it was right in front of me on a piece of paper.
It took a little bit before it hit me.
You heard how I made my money.
Now let's talk about how I spent my first million.
First thing I bought was a house in Erath.
That was for my family.
300K, my house in Erath.
[upbeat music]
The next thing I spent my money on was a car,
all black Mercedes SUV.
100K for my car.
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I do have a financial advisor and that costs about 10K.
Just having all this money,
you gotta make sure you don't spend too much
so you don't end up going broke.
[upbeat music]
I bought a chain. It says 25 J-E-E-E.
That stands for my girl and my little babies.
20K jewelry from Leo Frost.
Really I just wanted a number 25 representing
my football number and my girl and my babies.
That's who I do for.
[upbeat music]
Yeah. The engagement ring was another big expense.
I didn't have an idea how much I wanted to spend on it.
My girl, she picked it out.
So whatever she wants goes.
15K for engagement ring.
[upbeat music]
I spent 300K on my kids.
That was between cars, little cars for them,
clothes and shoes.
I got one a Ferrari and I got one a Jeep.
It's little small cars, so they able
to drive them right now.
[upbeat music]
- [Interviewer] Do you think your kids
will be playing football?
- Yeah, I definitely think my kids are gonna
be playing football.
- [Interviewer] Are they already getting into it?
- Yeah, my three old's getting into it right now.
He'll be a running back like his dad.
[upbeat music]
I haven't had the time yet,
but I put aside 100K for vacation.
Just me and the wife.
[upbeat music]
50K on a night out in LA.
My friends from back home [indistinct]
We had 15 bottles and really wasn't even paying attention
and we just ordering as we go.
Yeah, I definitely give back to my friends.
They've been my day ones since I started this whole thing.
I wanna shout out my homeboy Steven, Jaylen, Bren, and Ben.
I spent about 50K on tattoos.
My tattoo artist, his name is called Smash,
he's back home.
I have a bunch of tattoos on my chest, on my arm.
As soon as I get back, I'm going
to get my sleeve finished.
Chest was the most painful.
I heard the ribs are painful,
but I haven't got that done yet.
Yeah. I'm used to the pain right about now.
My favorite tattoo, I have blessed on my arm
and that just represents like my whole life,
just blessed to be in the position I am.
I have another tattoo on my stomach.
My three kids, Emerson, Elliot, and Eden.
[upbeat music]
Donated 50K to my high school in Erath.
Yeah, specifically to the football program.
Just for like new equipment in the weight room
- [Interviewer] To give back, obviously very important.
- Oh yeah, definitely. That's where I came from.
- [Interviewer] Have you gone back to visit?
- Not yet. I'll be going back soon.
I wasn't too reckless.
Nothing wrong with having a little fun.
You know what I'm saying?
- [Interviewer] Do you have any advice for guys coming
into the league that are getting their first paycheck?
- It's all right to splurge a little bit,
but just make sure you have a financial advisor
and you just save your money
because you never know when it's going end.
[upbeat music]
Thanks for tuning in, guys.
And I can't wait to see y'all on the field next year.