After winning consecutive ACC titles and the 2016 national championship, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is finally getting paid the handsome sum he deserves. Swinney has agreed to an eight-year extension that will pay him an average of $6.75 million per year through 2024, plus up to $1 million per year in incentives.
Swinney’s old salary of $4.4 million ranked 12th nationally among college football coaches for the 2016 season, according to USA Today’s database. His new compensation package puts him near the top. Swinney is still way behind Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who’s making an exorbitant $9 million per year. But he’s now the third-highest paid coach in college football, just a hair behind Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Dabo's term sheet summary pic.twitter.com/efv2qeY9Ct
— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) August 25, 2017
Here is Swinney’s statement on the contract extension, via CBS Sports:
“My family and I have been extremely blessed to be part of such an incredible university and community for the past 14 years. This contract makes a strong statement. It is a mutual commitment reflective of the program we have built and continue to build at Clemson. The Clemson family does so much to support our program and I couldn’t be more proud to be your head coach.”
With a 89-28 career record, Swinney has turned Clemson into a national powerhouse since becoming head coach in 2008. He won the ACC Atlantic division title in his first season, and the Tigers have finished the last six seasons nationally ranked, with bowl wins in the last five.
The Tigers open the 2017 season ranked No. 5 in the AP and Coaches polls. (The Comeback’s college football staff ranked them ninth.) With another top-15 class coming next season, according to 247Sports, Swinney’s program will remain a powerhouse for the foreseeable future.
