SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 03: Head coach Charlie Weis of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish watches as his team takes on the Washington Huskies on October 3, 2009 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Washington 37-30 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Charlie Weis last coached a game for Notre Dame in 2009, but the Charlie Weis Era in South Bend, Indiana is now officially over. Notre Dame paid off the final installment of a contract buyout for Weis and closed the books on the buyout after a cumulative sum closing in on $19 million.

According to a report from The Indy Star, citing tax documents obtained from the university, Notre Dame paid Charlie Weis $2,054,742 in 2015 in the final scheduled payment after firing the coach in 2009. In all, Weis collected a grand total of $18,967,960 for not coaching Notre Dame.

Weis was originally paid an initial buyout payment of $6.6 million in 2009 and was scheduled to receive additional payments through the end of 2015. Not bad for an overrated coach who was in way over his head.

Here’s something else to remember as well. While collecting money from Notre Dame for not coaching, Weis was also earning a paycheck from Kansas for coaching, and later for not coaching. Following his firing at Kansas early in the 2014 season, it was reported Weis would collect a buyout of $5.625 million by the end of 2016.

And don’t forget, Weis was also found coaching in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs and later back in college with Florida in the role of assistant coach. So he was getting paid to coach by one team or school and, at the same time, budgeting for incoming buyout payments from two other colleges.

It’s no wonder schools don’t want to pay their players. They’re too busy budgeting for buyout clauses!

Heck, Notre Dame was still paying off a buyout for Tyrone Willingham when they were employing Weis. So it is the dawn of a new era in South Bend, one in which they are only paying one head football coach (unless they can Brian Kelly at some point).

One thing is for sure; Charlie Weis had himself a darn good agent.

[Indy Star]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.