Offset Showdown: Franklin’s Clever Contract vs Fisher’s Full Payout
Penn State’s firing of head coach James Franklin triggered a buyout clause in his 2021 contract that guarantees him up to $48 million plus remaining salary—but crucially includes an “offset” provision. Under this language, any salary Franklin earns in a subsequent football-related role reduces Penn State’s payout. The 10-year, $80 million deal also obligates him to diligently pursue new employment in coaching, broadcasting or related fields to mitigate costs. By contrast, former Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher’s agreement lacked any mitigation clause: when he was dismissed in 2023, A&M must pay the full $76 million owed with no offsets. Penn State did amend Franklin’s contract in 2024 to tweak performance incentives tied to College Football Playoff expansion, but details of any buyout changes remain undisclosed. As universities grapple with ever-inflating coaching salaries, offset clauses could become standard to tame runaway buyout bills.
Courts of public opinion may soon be forced to pass judgment on whether Franklin’s “find yourself a new gig” clause is brilliant fiscal prudence or a backhanded way to dump college coaches into dusty ESPN studios. Meanwhile, Texas A&M can proudly boast the largest silent auction in college football history—because nothing says “we value performance” like wrestling over tens of millions in unpaid debt. One imagines athletic directors everywhere giddy at the prospect of inserting more jargon into contracts: “Good-faith efforts,” “mitigation language,” “private jet hours” – all lumped together in a gaudy buffet of corporate-speak that somehow paychecks think tastes like championships. At this rate, soon every coach will be auctioned off to the highest bidder—just so universities can publicly declare they’ve got a handle on fiscal responsibility. And we’ll all gather round to cheer, popcorn in hand.
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