The temperature on James Franklin’s seat as Penn State head coach continues to rise. After a couple of losses to take the 2025 season on a harsh detour from preseason expectations, the pressure may have reached a new high for Franklin as the leader of the Nittany Lions. The biggest reason why Franklin may still remain the head coach of the program beyond 2025 is the amount it would cost Penn State to buy out his remaining contract.
So, how much are we talking?
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The biggest question regarding Franklin and his future at Penn State appears to be just how much it would cost. According to this year’s annual update to the USA TODAY football coaching salary database, the number comes in at just under $49 million ($48,666,667 to be precise). That number is about where it had been previously reported or suspected to be, and it is still a pretty hefty price tag for Penn State to make any sudden changes in leadership.
Franklin’s current buyout cost is the 12th-highest in the nation at this moment. The most expensive buyouts belong to Kirby Smart of Georgia ($105 million) and Ryan Day of Ohio State ($70.9 million). Of course, those two coaches have national championships to their name and thus have a bit more ground to stand on when it comes to their successes with their respective programs.
Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Texas’s Steve Sarkisian, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney would each cost $60 million to buy out. Other coaches with a higher buyout right now include Dan Lanning of Oregon ($56.7 million) and Curt Cignetti of Indiana ($56.7 million).
Franklin’s contract runs through the 2031 season, and the buyout will go down each season. In the meantime, Franklin will earn a retention bonus at the end of every calendar year as long as Penn State keeps him as head coach.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: How much is James Franklin’s contract buyout in 2025?
