CINCINNATI, Ohio— Last October, Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback Tom Brady became co-owner of a Major League Pickleball team. Earlier this month, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became co-owner of the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team.

While Brady, Mahomes and other professional athletes are investing their fortunes in other professional sports leagues, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, and 23 other professional athletes see corn and soybeans as an investment opportunity.

These 25 professional athletes are purchasing a 104-acre corn and soy farm in northern Iowa. The group set up a $5 million investment fund to purchase land with. 

Athletes involved in the farm purchase include Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin, former Dallas Maverick guard Kemba Walker, Arizona Cardinal tight end Zach Ertz, New York Islander left wing Anders Lee, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman and Milwaukee Bucs’ Khris Middleton.

According to Front Office Sports, the group is buying the land in Iowa with the intention to then lease the land to farmers. The group will seek a single-digit percentage annual return on the total investment. And this won’t be the only farm Burrow and the others purchase. The group is looking to buy four more farms within the next few years. For example, the group have their eyes on a watermelon farm in Oregon as a potential purchase because they offer higher per-acre rent.

Middleton was attracted to agriculture investment strategy because of its uniqueness and the long-term nature of the deal.

“When I looked at the history of returns, especially how U.S. farms have performed over the last 30 years, including during bad times in the economy, the stability is what stood out,” Middleton said. “I’m always thinking about the long term when it comes to my wealth and how I can provide for my family after I retire.”

The purchase was arranged by Patricof Co., a specialized private New York investment firm that connects athletes with investment opportunities, while also incorporating institutional investors such as JPMorgan. Patricof Co. founder Mark Patricof says that agricultural investments are a smart start for athletes learning about long-term investments.

“It provides really significant downside protection and the opportunity to create a long-term investment strategy that fits the profile of somebody who’s young and can continue to make a lot of money and wants to be conservative with their investment strategy,” he said.” The $5 million investment is the first capital call in what will be a pool of capital to acquire multiple farms.”

 And no better place make that agricultural investment than in Iowa. According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa is the No. 1 producer of corn and the No. 2 producer of soybeans in the country, and the average value of Iowa farmland increased by 17 percent last year.

 The purchase of farmland goes hand in hand with Burrow and Hubbard’s foundations, which focus on food insecurity.

Back in October, Burrow announced the launch of his nonprofit organization to help address food insecurity and childhood mental health in Ohio and Louisiana. Hubbard started his foundation to help Cincinnatians have equitable access to food, education and a healthy lifestyle.

 Incidentally, Burrow has Iowa roots. He was born in Ames and lived there until he was four years old. His father was a football coach at Iowa State University.