Neff, Clemson Intentional on Where Swinney’s Salary Fell Nationally

Clemson wanted to make sure Tigers’ head coach was compensated appropriately.

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. — Dabo Swinney is one of college football’s best coaches. And Clemson made sure he is paid like one.

Clemson and Swinney agreed to a 10-year, $115-million contract on Thursday. The head football coach will make $10.5 million this year, making him the second-highest paid coach in college football.

“He’s one of two coaches that have won multiple national championships,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said. “He has the highest winning percentage of any active coach. So, what he’s achieved and accomplished certainly makes the market and quite frankly, the negotiations really straightforward if I’m being honest. And conversely, you want to make sure we’re investing and showing that support for Clemson for what’s to come.

“So, the expectations that we’re going to continue to invest in Coach Swinney and all aspects of our football program, this is certainly an example of that. He’s earned it and has positioned himself to be at the top of the market. But then also, we are showing that commitment that we expect to continue to be there for Clemson football for years to come.”

Swinney is second only to Alabama’s Nick Saban, who is expected to make $10.7 million this year. Georgia’s Kirby Smart is ranked third at $10.25 million.

“(The Clemson Board of Trustees) recognized the market, absolutely, and recognized the shared commitment and fit with Coach Sweeney,” Neff said. “I want to make sure that this makes sense from a business standpoint for us, and I am so excited to stress that we are able to move forward with it.”

Swinney just started his 15th season as Clemson’s head coach, including one season as the interim. The Tigers' win over Georgia Tech this past Monday night was the 151st of his career.

He has a career record of 151-36, a .807-win percentage. He is also 92-19 (.829) in ACC play.

Swinney has led Clemson to two National Championships (2016 and 2018) and seven ACC titles. The Tigers went to the College Football Playoff six straight seasons from 2015-2020 and played for the national championship in four of those occasions.

Since 2011, Clemson has won at least 10 games every year, all under Swinney's guidance. The Tigers' 11 consecutive 10-win seasons rank third all-time in the history of college football, only behind Florida State's 14 straight from 1987-2000 and Alabama's current 14-year run under Saban (2008-present).

Neff said he approached Swinney about a contract extension soon after he was officially named athletic director last winter. As they pushed through negotiations with Swinney’s representatives, they got word that there was movement with Alabama’s deal with Saban and Smart’s with Georgia.

At that time, Clemson was intentional, as it waited to see how the market was going to move. Again, Graham wanted to make sure Swinney was compensated based on what the market was dictating and where he needed to be in the market.

“There’s so much more to what the action was this morning, for Coach Sweeney’s commitment to Clemson and, us to him, because of his character, morals, ethics and how he leads Clemson football and those 130 men on the current roster,” Neff said. “Let alone the former players and his connectivity throughout the Clemson football family.

“Today, we really just emphasized and further stitched together our support of him and how he leads that program in an incredibly changing environment that is college athletics and the true nature that he leads, as a person, let alone as a coach and a leader for such a prominent program for Clemson University.”

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