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Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney got zero chills when a fan called him out for his mammoth salary after a frustrating season. During Swinney’s weekly radio show, a fan seems done with the Tigers’ underwhelming record and put it out just like that, questioning why the head coach was even paid such big money after the embarrassing losses. Swinney gave it back to the fan, asking him to apply for the same and pull the money if he could.

The Internet went ablaze with the heat. Do you know how much money coach Swinney actually draws from his yearly contract? If not, here’s your knowledge boost.

What is Dabo Swinney’s net worth?

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“Is this a bad year? Yeah, and it’s my responsibility. I take 100% responsibility for it. But all this bull crap you’re thinking and all these narratives you read, listen, man, you can have your opinion all you want. You can apply for the job, and good luck to you,” the veteran head coach said in a frenzied tone when his salary got dragged under poor scrutiny.

USA Today via Reuters

Swinney and The Tigers will get a golden chance to silence their critics as they head to a crucial first-round playoff match against Texas. They can turn around their season and change the narrative altogether. But Swinney’s net worth statistics showcased, that he would regardless be one of the wealthiest men in his genre, even if he couldn’t make it to the quarter or further from here.

Dabo Swinney’s net worth as of 2024 is approximately $30 million. Dabo Swinney has been serving Clemson University as the head coach since 2009. You can guess how many contract extensions and bonus endorsement deals he might have drawn over a decade and more. All of this led to this lump sum amount, which is completely justified in adherence to his highly momentous career record.

What is Dabo Swinney’s salary?

What’s your perspective on:

Is Dabo Swinney's hefty salary justified despite Clemson's lackluster performance this season?

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Swinney ranks as the second-highest-paid head coach in all of college football, with $11,132,755 in total pay. Only Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart tops that with $13,282,590. Well, he’s worth the money, as apart from Smart, he stands as the only active coach to win a national championship during the College Football Playoff era.

In September, Swinney signed a contract extension with Clemson University, cementing his position as one of the highest-paid college football coaches in the mix. It includes a base salary of $9 million and performance-based incentives. On top of that, Swinney has room to add to his pocket by drawing substantial bonuses for achieving significant feats, such as winning ACC championships, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff, and grabbing the national championship.

How long is Dabo Swinney’s contract?

The lucrative contract stretches up to 2031, allowing him to sit firm in the school for a few years and end up chiseling out the best.

A distinct detail of Swinney’s contract is the gigantic buyout clause. If Swinney ever wants to cut ties with Clemson, he can claim a massive $100 million buyout. There’s more to it. If he chooses to join forces with the Bama and lead them to another unprecedented season as the next head coach, the buyout sharp jumps to a heavy $400 million. It speaks volumes of how Clemson Tigers value him as their coach. He is irreplaceable through the years. Of course, he had his hiccups from time to time, but his steady success with the Tigers writes a story worth reading several times.

Ever since, he took the coveted chair; he has put together a 170-44 record with eight ACC Championships and two national championships. He is the most triumphant coach in franchise history.

However, there has been a big paradigm shift in the college football landscape, and Swinney needs to adapt to it. A minute attention to the transfer portal can lead him to many more big paychecks and bigger titles in the future.

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Is Dabo Swinney's hefty salary justified despite Clemson's lackluster performance this season?