P.J. Fleck will have bonuses added to Gophers contract after UCLA’s pursuit

Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck, who was pursued by UCLA last month for its head-coaching job, has agreed to an amended contract in which he could receive an additional $5.7 million if he stays with Minnesota through the 2029 season.

The university’s athletic department announced the amendment Friday, and the contract is pending Board of Regents approval.

Fleck, who’ll coach his eighth season with the Gophers this fall, will continue to receive a total salary of $6 million through the 2029 season, with $400,000 as base salary and $5.6 million as supplemental compensation. Under the amendment, he’ll also be able to make more money through a retention bonus, the longer he stays.

The schedule of the retention bonuses are:

• Year One (through Dec. 31, 2024): $700,000;

• Year Two: $800,000;

• Year Three: $900,000;

• Year Four: $1 million;

• Year Five: $1.1 million;

• Year Six: $1.2 million.

Neither Fleck nor athletic director Mark Coyle were available to comment Friday because the contract needs the regents’ approval at their March 7-8 meeting. Last week, however, Coyle in a Star Tribune interview offered his thoughts on UCLA’s pursuit of Fleck and the coach’s decision to stay at Minnesota.

“P.J. and I have a really close relationship, and when UCLA reached out to him, he kept me up to speed on all those conversations,’’ Coyle said. “He and I had a chance to talk late that Friday night, and we talked early Saturday. He and Heather [Fleck] and I got on the phone and had conversations. They love Minnesota; they want to be here. They feel like there’s a lot of work left to be done here. … We feel really grateful that he should lead our program, and we look forward to having him do that for a long time.”

In his seven years at Minnesota, Fleck has compiled a 50-34 record. He ranks fifth in program history in wins (50), Big Ten wins (29) and games coached (84).

Under Fleck, the Gophers have played in five bowl games, winning each of them. His 2019 team had a breakthrough season, going 11-2, winning the Outback Bowl and finishing No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll, the program’s best final ranking since 1962. He had nine-win seasons in 2021 and 2022 before the 2023 team went 5-7 in the regular season and reached the Quick Lane Bowl through its high score in the Academic Progress Rate.

In addition to the retention bonuses, the buyout structure increased for Fleck should he leave for a coaching or broadcasting position at any level. Had he left for UCLA, he would have owed the university $5 million. Under the amendment, he would owe the university:

• $7 million if termination occurs during Year One of the contract;

• $5 million during Year Two;

• $4 million during Year Three;

• $3 million during Year Four;

• $2 million during Year Five;

• $0 if termination occurs during Year Six.

If the university terminates the contract without cause, it will owe Fleck a fee equal to 65% of the base salary, supplemental compensation and retention bonus that would have been paid to the coach throughout the remainder of the contract.

Also slightly adjusted in Fleck’s contract are incentives for making the College Football Playoff and various bowl games. They are:

• $500,000 for reaching the CFP national championship game

• $350,000 for reaching a playoff semifinal;

• $300,000 for reaching a playoff quarterfinal (added because of new playoff structure);

• $250,000 for making a first-round playoff game;

• $150,000 for playing in the Citrus Bowl or the top Tampa Bay bowl game;

• $100,000 for any other bowl game.

The university also will increase the salary pool of its assistant coaches and staff by $500,000.