The Texas A&M Board of Regents met last Thursday, and on the agenda was the performance of college football head coach Jimbo Fisher. Fisher’s results have been below expectations, especially considering the talent he has recruited to College Station. The recommendation from the Athletic Director and University President was to fire Fisher. This move could come as soon as Sunday, and is expected to cost Texas A&M $76.8 million. But where does this rank in the Top 5 Biggest College Football Buyouts of All-Time?
College football coaches are paid handsomely, especially those at the top-level. But even when things go wrong, and these coaches underperform, they are still earning big bucks. It usually costs college football programs millions of dollars to fire their head coaches, especially if their head coaches are well-paid and on long-term contracts, as these are generally fully guaranteed.
If we take, Jimbo Fisher as an example, he signed a $95 million guaranteed deal in 2021. If Fisher is fired before January 1, 2024, he would be due a buyout of a whopping $76.8 million, the amount remaining on his contract.
Let’s take a look at how this compares to other massive buyouts that have been paid to college football coaches.
5. Ed Orgeron (LSU) – $17 Million
Ed Orgeron was appointed as LSU coach for the 2016 season. He was successful in his tenure, winning a National Championship in 2019 as Joe Burrow took the Tigers to the promised land.
However, after two very ordinary seasons, going 11-11 over two years, LSU and Orgeron mutually parted ways in 2021.
Orgeron hilariously described the discussion where he was told LSU would pay him $17 million to leave quietly. Orgeron said he responded with, ““What time do you want me to leave and what door you want me out of, brother?!”
Coach O on his time and exit from LSU . He was at the Little Rock Touchdown Club today. pic.twitter.com/n87SmTnXqW
— Steve Sullivan (@sully7777) September 6, 2022
4. Willie Taggart (FSU) – $18 Million
Willie Taggart was hired by FSU to replace Jimbo Fisher in 2018. But with a 9-12 record, Taggart was fired during the 2019 season.
Firing Taggart so early into his deal meant the the former South Florida Bulls coach was due an $18 million buyout.
3. Charlie Weis (Notre Dame) – $19 Million
Charlie Weis was fired from Notre Dame in 2009, but the school made payments to him up until 2015. The total of these payments was a massive $19 million.
During that time, Weis was earning more than Notre Dame’s actual head coach, Brian Kelly. Not bad for sitting on your couch eating Cheetos.
2. Gus Malzahn (Auburn) – $21.5 Million
In a move that cost Auburn $21.5 million, Gus Malzahn was fired from Auburn for several reasons in 2020.
Despite having four years left on his seven-year contract, Auburn decided to move in a different direction due to a season that ended with a 6-4 record and included losses to key rivals like Texas, Georgia, and Alabama, as well as an unexpected loss to South Carolina.
1. Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M) – $76.8 Million
Jimbo Fisher’s massive contract buyout is almost four times as large as anything we have seen before. Texas A&M made a massive commitment to Fisher with a $95 million deal in 2021.
It seems this has not quite gone to plan as Fisher’s Aggie teams have struggled over the past few seasons, and Texas A&M are now left with a huge expense to fire him.
What makes this situation even stranger is that Texas A&M is coming off the back of a 51-10 victory over Mississippi State. But when you have to fire your coach, we guess you just have to do it.
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