James Franklin buyout: How much Penn State owes fired head coach
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
James Franklin led Penn State to a 13-3 mark and a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance in 2024.
Just over nine months later, he is out as the program’s head coach, with the Nittany Lions 3-3 and in the midst of a three-game losing skid that has erased any hopes of a return to the Playoff.
Franklin certainly enjoyed success during his time in Happy Valley: he was tied for second in program history with 104 wins. And the Nittany Lions were considered among the teams that could challenge for the national championship in 2025. But his record against top teams was concerning: 15-30 against Top 25 teams and just 4-21 against the Top 10 after a double-overtime loss to Oregon.
What is James Franklin’s buyout at Penn State?
James Franklin’s buyout at Penn State is $48,666,667. That’s the 12th-highest figure in the country.
In addition, Franklin was one of the 20 highest-paid head coaches in the country (and tied with Nebraska’s Matt Rhule for 4th-highest in the Big Ten) at the time of his firing. His salary was $8.5 million, which included a $500,000 retention bonus to be paid out annually. That retention bonus will not be included in his buyout, however.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
