Jeremiyah Love shrugs off rookie awards focus

Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love, the Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick, says his rookie-season goals are strictly team-first—aiming to gel and do whatever Mike LaFleur wants—while refusing to chase Offensive Rookie of the Year talk.

Jeremiyah Love arrived with the kind of resume that usually forces headlines to write ahead of the player. Two straight seasons leading the nation in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and overall touchdowns at Notre Dame. A 2025 Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back. A Heisman Trophy semifinalist.

But when the conversation turns to what he might personally win now that he’s headed to the NFL, Love talks like he’s already decided where the spotlight belongs.

The Cardinals used the No. 3 overall pick on Love, and he’s expected to get chances to do what he did at Notre Dame. Still, he said Monday—via NFL.com—that he has no personal goals for his rookie season.

“I’ve learned throughout my time just playing football. the personal goals aren’t going to get you really where you want to get to. It’s all about the team at the end of the day,” Love said. “As long as you do your part on the team. usually you’ll get the personal accolades and the personal goals that you have in your mind. So. in my mind. my goal for myself is to jell really well with this team and do whatever coach [Mike] LaFleur wants me to do. and do it to the best of my ability.”.

Offensive Rookie of the Year is already part of the chatter, with Love listed as a favorite ahead of Fernando Mendoza and Carnell Tate. Yet he isn’t treating the award race as something he has to manage or chase.

“That’s kind of how I’ve always been,” Love said. “Never really been the type to set . . . well. I’ve always been the type to set goals for myself. but they’ve always been connected to the team in some type of way. Like last year. I wanted to win the Doak Walker Award in college. wanted to win the Heisman. but those things weren’t going to happen unless I did what I had to do for my team and play my role for the team. Both of them go hand in hand, so I kind of try to make everything team-oriented.“.

He keeps coming back to the same idea: as a running back, you don’t get to the results by yourself.

“At the end of the day, it’s a team sport. You can’t do anything by yourself, especially as a running back. Got to have a good O-line. got to have a quarterback that can read defenses and see a lot of things. and you’ve got to have receivers that can take the top off to lighten up the box. as well. Everything goes hand in hand, so I try not to make things personal and make it all team-oriented. Because if the team is good, a lot of times you’re going to do good as well.”.

Love’s star power is real, but the end of his college season carried its own sting. Notre Dame did not make the College Football Playoff. And in 2024, Love played through a knee injury in the National Championship loss to Ohio State, when he had only six touches for 8 yards.

For now, the Cardinals have their No. 3 overall pick, the workload and the expectations that come with it. Love, though, is pitching something simpler: his best version of himself will show up when he’s doing exactly what the team needs.

Jeremiyah Love Arizona Cardinals No. 3 overall pick Mike LaFleur Offensive Rookie of the Year Fernando Mendoza Carnell Tate Notre Dame Doak Walker Award Heisman Trophy semifinalist