Kirk Ferentz has been the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes since 1999 and, based on the massive size of his buyout, it sure looks like it’s going to stay that way for quite a while.
Ace Anbender of thebucketproblem.com took on the task of compiling the various coaching contracts from across the Big Ten, and even though he knew Ferentz’s buyout was massive, the actual number turned out to be even bigger than he expected.
According to Anbender, Ferentz’s buyout is equal to $6 million per year for the duration of his contract. Since Ferentz has eight years remaining on his deal with the Hawkeyes, that means that if Iowa were to fire Ferentz today, they would still owe him a mindblowing $48 million.
if iowa fired kirk ferentz today, they'd owe him $48 million https://t.co/WDk22Z2Z0W
— ace (powered by ferrari) (@AceAnbender) July 5, 2022
If that seems like a massive number for a head coach who hasn’t won a conference title since 2004 and has just a .582 winning percentage in Big Ten play, you are not alone.
As word of Ferentz’s gigantic buyout reached those throughout the college football world, many expressed their shock at just how large the number was – as well as just how impressed they are with his aptly-named agent.
His agent is Neil Cornrich, the most perfectly named agent for an Iowa head coach ever https://t.co/JzpwlDAHPB
— Jane Coaston (@janecoaston) July 5, 2022
sweet merciful corn god, this is wild https://t.co/kCno0aECx9
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) July 5, 2022
I just busted out laughing https://t.co/C4VrVQU9kX
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) July 5, 2022
This is insane. Whatever his agent is making it’s not enough. https://t.co/ihdQAS6VFK
— Hammer and Rails (@HammerAndRails) July 5, 2022
Iowa fans: “We love our team, but God we hate our offensive coordinator.”
Brian Ferentz: “Look, my dad’s buyout is worth $10 million for every yard per play I averaged last season, and we call that *value* in these parts.” https://t.co/gTv6KmxbLn
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) July 5, 2022
Everybody else is playing for second in the "Best Agent on Earth" competition https://t.co/7ABSQq92xy
— ODB🇺🇦 (@OurDailyBears) July 5, 2022
tell me more about how NILs are the problem https://t.co/JoA1hhfo1p
— Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) July 5, 2022
Of course, this number only matters if Iowa were to actually fire Ferentz, which seems rather unlikely at this point, especially after the school gave him a four-year extension worth $7 million per year just a few months ago.