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The idea of ​​making $1 million in a single day may seem unrealistic to most Americans, but that was the exact opportunity that former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow had in front of him.

In a 2025 interview with Graham Bensinger, Tebow reflected on his brief stint with the New England Patriots in 2013 and the big endorsement offer he received: $1 million for a day’s work (1).

“It was an amazing opportunity from a really good company that stood for some really amazing things and they really wanted me to be a part of it,” Tebow said. He also added that “it was on an off day,” so Patriots fans shouldn’t have worried about him missing game day.

But before he could say yes, there was one person who wanted to approve the deal: coach Bill Belichick.

“He (Belichick) asked me, when I joined the team, to do my best to go under the radar and not draw too much attention. I said, ‘Yes, sir. I’ll do my best,'” Tebow recalled.

Not knowing whether the endorsement would violate that directive, Tebow picked up the phone.

“I called him and said, ‘Hey, this is an opportunity,'” Tebow explained. And Belichick’s response? “‘Timmy, I’d really appreciate it if you turned it down.”

And just like that, Tebow walked away from a seven-figure windfall.

## The financial wins and losses of professional football

Anyone familiar with his career knows what happened next. The Patriots delisted him soon after (2).

But there was no contract? Well, when asked by Bensinger what kind of deal he had with New England at the time, Tebow didn’t mince words: “I don’t think it was even a contract.” In fact, “I was just trying to make the team” (1).

This is what makes the missed payday even more so. As Tebow said, “Maybe I should have said yes because I got cut a few days later; that day of service would have been double what I would have made if I had made the team all season.”

Still, despite losing a million-dollar opportunity and then being released, Tebow expressed no bitterness toward Belichick, who led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories. He described the coach as “so honest and direct” and “very kind in many areas”.

Despite Tebow’s goodwill toward Belichick, the famous football coach has also had some setbacks in his own career lately (3). It was announced in January that Belichick would not be inducted into the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, regardless of his record of six Super Bowl wins.

Belichick has also recently moved into coaching college football, where he had a record-breaking first season with his new team, the North Carolina Tar Heels. That has some wondering if the 73-year-old coaching legend will end his career on a low, rather than a high.

Both Belichick’s and Tebow’s experiences show how quickly fortunes can change, sometimes overnight, in professional sports. And they are not alone.

NBA fans will also remember Latrell Sprewell’s notorious rejection of a 3-year, $21 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves, claiming it wasn’t enough because “I’ve got my family to feed” (4). But after Sprewell’s old contract expired in 2005, he was unable to secure another contract and fell out of the NBA.

In 2008, Sprewell was facing foreclosure on his home (5).

And while these stories are rooted in professional sports, the same lesson applies outside the stadium. Your circumstances, and your income, can change faster than you think. And often, the smartest move is to put yourself in a position where a sudden setback doesn’t derail your entire life.

So, even if you do nothing else, try these two simple steps to help you stay financially stable.

When income disappears without warning, things can snowball faster than you think: the bills will keep coming, the expenses will keep piling up, and credit cards will start to seem like the only option. This is why having cash set aside is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

An emergency fund gives you the cushion to deal with life’s surprises without derailing your finances. Whether it’s a medical bill, a sudden car repair, or an unexpected job loss, this cushion helps keep you afloat while you figure out your next step.

So how big should that safety net be?

Expert in personal finance suggests Dave Ramsey have an emergency fund that can cover living expenses for three to six months (6). What matters most, though, is consistency, adding a little at a time until the safety net starts to take shape.

This is where a high performing account like the Wealthfront Cash Account can be a good place to start growing your emergency fund as it offers competitive interest rates and easy access to your cash when you need it.

A Wealthfront Cash account can provide a base variable APY of 3.30%, but Moneywise readers can receive a 0.65% increase in the first three months for a total APY of 3.95%. That’s more than ten times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s January report.

With no minimum balances or account fees, 24/7 withdrawals and free domestic bank transfers, your funds remain accessible at all times. Also, Wealthfront Cash account balances up to $8 million are insured by the FDIC through program banks.

The experiences of Tebow, Belichick, and Sprewell—and many other professional athletes—are a reminder that even the most promising opportunities can disappear in an instant. For everyday workers, this uncertainty often manifests itself in the form of layoffs, reduced hours, or changes in company priorities.

To protect yourself from these sudden changes in fortune, you can start by creating income streams that are completely independent of your employer.

One of the most proven strategies for generating passive income is real estate investing. Owning a rental property can generate monthly cash flow from tenants while serving as a hedge against inflation, as property values ​​and rental prices tend to increase over time along with the cost of living.

However, being a landlord comes with its challenges. You’ll have to find and screen tenants, make sure rent is collected on time, and deal with maintenance and repairs, out of pocket. And that’s assuming you can afford a down payment and qualify for a mortgage in the first place.

The good news? You no longer need to buy a property to become a real estate tycoon.

Mogul is a real estate investment platform that offers fractional ownership in prime rental propertieswhich offers investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits, without the need for a large down payment or late-night tenant calls.

Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand selects the top 1% of single family rental homes nationwide for you Simply put, you can invest in institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.

Each property undergoes a verification process, which requires a minimum return of 12% even in negative scenarios. In general, the platform has an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Meanwhile, their cash-on-cash returns average between 10% and 12% per year. And with investments typically ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 per property, deals often sell out in less than three hours.

even better, every investment is backed by real assetsit does not depend on the viability of the platform. Each property is held in a stand-alone Propco LLC, so investors own the property, not the platform. Meanwhile, blockchain-based sharding adds a layer of security, ensuring a permanent and verifiable record of every bet.

Getting started is a quick and easy process. You can register for an account and then browse the available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a tycoon with just a few clicks.

Another way to increase your income by investing in rental properties is to consider multi-family unit yields. These buildings usually require a large initial investment, but now you can access them for less.

If you are attracted to diversifying into multi-family rentals, you may want to consider investing in them Lightstone DIRECTa new investment platform from the Lightstone Group, one of the largest private real estate companies in the country with more than 25,000 multi-family units in its portfolio.

Because they cut out the middlemen (brokers and crowdfunding intermediaries), accredited investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 can directly access institutional-quality multifamily opportunities. This streamlined model can help reduce fees while improving transparency and control.

And with Lightstone DIRECT, you invest in single-asset multi-family deals together with Lightstone, a true partner, as Lightstone puts at least 20% of its own capital into each deal. All Lightstone investment opportunities undergo a rigorous, multi-stage review before being approved by Lightstone’s principals, including founder David Lichtenstein.

The operation is simple: just register with your email and Schedule a call with a capital formation expert to evaluate your investment opportunities. From there, all you have to do is verify your details to start investing.

Founded in 1986, Lightstone has a proven track record of delivering strong risk-adjusted returns through market cycles with a historical net IRR of 27.6% and a historical equity multiple of 2.54 times on investments made since 2004. In total, Lightstone has $12 billion in assets under management, including industrial and commercial real estate.

So, even if multifamily rentals aren’t your thing, Lightstone can still serve as an investment vehicle for other real estate sectors.

Get started today with Lightstone DIRECT and invest alongside seasoned professionals with skin in the game.

Read more: Approaching retirement with no savings? Don’t panic, you are not alone. here they are 6 Easy (and Fast) Ways to Catch Up

We only rely on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For more information, see our ethics and editorial guidelines.

@GrahamBensinger (1); CBS (2); BBC (3); ESPN (4), (5); Ramsey solutions (6)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without any warranty.