Washington extends Chris Petersen's contract, makes him highest-paid coach in Pac-12
Washington has extended the contract of head coach Chris Petersen through the 2023 season, according to a source. The new deal gives Petersen what is believed to be the richest contract in the Pac-12.
Petersen’s new deal extends him three additional seasons and has an average compensation of $4.875 million throughout the deal. That marks a significant raise, as Petersen was slated to make $4.0 million in the final two years of his previous deal. Petersen hasn’t shown any interest in other collegiate or NFL jobs, but this latest extension further solidifies that his preference is to stay in Seattle for the long haul.
Petersen is 27–14 in three years with the Huskies, including a Pac-12 title and College Football Playoff appearance in 2016. Washington finished 12–2, blew out Colorado in the Pac-12 title game and fell to Alabama in the playoff semifinal. The Huskies led the Pac-12 in total offense and total defense and finished No. 1 nationally in turnover margin. They led the Pac-12 in 17 different statistical categories.
In Petersen’s 11 years as a head coach, he’s 119–26 overall. He went 92–12 in eight seasons at Boise State.
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Washington will be favored to win the Pac-12 North in 2017, as starting quarterback Jake Browning returns after throwing for 3,430 yards and 43 touchdowns last season. He’s complemented by star receiver Dante Pettis (15 TDs) and tailback Myles Gaskin (5.8 yards per carry and 11 TDs).
With this extension, Petersen is expected to eclipse Stanford’s David Shaw as the highest paid coach in the Pac-12. Shaw’s last known salary was $4.06 million, reportedly from the 2014 calendar year. That number included $700,000 in deferred compensation. (Stanford is a private school, which means its contracts aren’t made public.) Petersen is expected to make $4.125 million in 2017.
Washington opens the season at Rutgers on Sept. 1.
