Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck signed a new seven-year, $35 million contract Monday which will take effect next season and runs through Dec. 31, 2028. A look at the key points:
Highlights of P.J. Fleck's new Gophers contract
Fleck's salary, buyout and assistant coaches' salary pool will all change under the terms of his new deal. Here's how.
November 4, 2021 at 12:32AM
Salary
Fleck will make $4.65 million in salary this season under the terms of his previous contract. That deal called for a $50,000 annual raise, so he was slated to make $4.9 million in the final year, 2026.
The new deal will pay Fleck an even $5 million each year between 2022 and 2028, with no built-in raises.
Buyout
Fleck's previous contract called for a $10 million buyout if he left during the first year (2020) and the buyout dropped to $4.5 million in Year 2 and $3 million in Year 3 and 4. Now, the price would be steeper to leave. Here are the buyout numbers:
2022 — $10 million
2023 — $7 million
2024 — $5 million
2025 — $4 million
2026 — $3 million
2027 — $2 million
2028 — $0
Coaches/staff
Fleck's new contract stipulates that he'll have $350,000 to add to his assistant coaches' and other staff salaries for next season. The deal he signed in 2019 was even more bountiful for his assistants, as he had $1.05 million to add to their salaries in 2020 and an additional $200,000 this year.
Incentives
From Fleck's previous contract
Big Ten title: $150,000
Win or tie for division title: $100,000
National Coach of the Year award (from list agreed upon by Fleck and the athletic director): $100,000
Big 10 Coach of the Year award from Big Ten coaches or media: $50,000
New incentives:
Eight regular-season wins: $100,000
Nine regular-season wins: $100,000
(Regular-season wins do not include Big Ten title or bowl games.)
Aaron Huglen and wife Maddie are expecting their first baby right before the Gophers take aim at a sixth NCAA title.
