Top College Football Coaches Receive Lucrative Buyout Packages Totaling Tens of Millions

Texas A&M terminated football coach Jimbo Fisher, paying him more than $75 million — the remaining balance of his 10-year contract signed in 2020. This is the highest buyout in college sports history.

Athletic director Ross Bjork stated that the donor-backed 12th Man Foundation will make an initial payment of $19 million to Fisher within 60 days, with the rest coming from athletic department funds.

— Contract expires 2031.

— His predecessor, Mark Richt, had a $4.1 million buyout in 2015.

— Contract expires 2031.

— His predecessor, Ed Orgeron, had a $16.9 million buyout in 2021.

— Contract expires 2031.

— He would owe Penn State $6 million if he left for the NFL this year.

— Contract expires 2031.

— If Swinney took another job this year, he would owe Clemson $5 million. If that job was Alabama, he would owe $7.5 million.

— Contract expires 2031, signed 2022.

— Nebraska required to pay only 90% of remaining contract value.

— His predecessor, Scott Frost, had a $15 million buyout in 2022.

— Contract expires 2031.

— Kentucky required to pay only 75% of remaining contract value.

— His predecessor, Joker Phillips, had a $2.5 million buyout in 2012.

— Contract expires 2029, signed in 2023.

— Tennessee paid buyouts of $12.6 million to Jeremy Pruitt in 2020 and $8.3 million to Butch Jones in 2017.

— Contract expires 2028, signed in 2022.

— An NFL team or another school would have to pay Ohio State $4.5 million if it were to hire Day before Feb. 1, 2024.

— Contract expires 2030, signed in 2021.

— Alabama would owe Saban 48 months’ pay if he were fired, or for the number of months remaining if contract is within four years of expiration.

— Contract expires 2028, signed in 2023.

— An NFL team or another school would have to pay Oregon $20 million to hire him at any point during the contract term.

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