How much is Penn State coach James Franklin’s buyout? What to know
After one of the worst losses in modern Penn State history — a 42-37 upset to previously winless UCLA, a 24.5-point underdog — numerous fans have taken to social media to demand head coach James Franklin be fired.
But is that really a possibility? Let’s take a closer look at Franklin’s buyout.
The contract
If Franklin were fired tomorrow, Penn State would owe him $56 million. If athletic director Pat Kraft waited until Jan. 1, 2026, it would be reduced to $48 million.
Why so high? Well, Franklin signed a 10-year extension in November 2021 — under previous athletic director Sandy Barbour — that went into effect in January 2022. Basically, the contract stipulates if Franklin is fired, he would be owed the sum of his base compensation, supplemental pay and life insurance loan times the number of years left on his contract.
That sum is $8 million. So, for every year left on his contract, it’s another $8 million.
If he’s fired tomorrow, before Year 4 is up, he would have seven years left, or a $56 million buyout. So that buyout would be reduced to $48 million next year, $40 million the year after that, then $32 million — and, well, you get the idea.
Is $56M too much for PSU to pay?
Penn State is in the midst of a $700 million renovation project to Beaver Stadium, and it’s battling financial issues that just led to its board of trustees denying funding for its public media station (WPSU) and forcing it to shut down by summer. It’s the first university-owned station to do so.
In other words, the university itself — or, by extension, the self-supporting athletic department — can’t pay Franklin’s buyout without angering a lot of alumni. The optics wouldn’t be great. Now could a booster, or a group of boosters, step in? That would seemingly make for an easier decision for Kraft.
Paying that much for a buyout would be unprecedented for Penn State, but not for college football. Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher a $76 million buyout in 2023, to be paid out over several years.
According to Sports Illustrated, Franklin currently has the ninth-highest buyout of any college football coach. And Front Office Sports reported that he’s tied for the 15th-highest compensation this year.
Coaches with higher buyouts include Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($100M+), USC’s Lincoln Riley ($90M), Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer ($70M), etc.
Franklin’s financial terms
Below is the financial term sheet for Franklin, including his yearly base salary, supplemental pay, guaranteed annual compensation, retention bonus, and more.
CDT staff writer Jon Sauber contributed to this report
This story was originally published October 5, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
