David Taylor is understandably the talk of the town right now. With details of his contract with OSU coming to light, the Magic Man might be having a hard time hiding his smirk at the collective clamor that’s soon likely to take over the collegiate wrestling scene in the country, and we don’t blame him either. The Olympic medalist’s deal with the Cowboys will run all the way through 2030 and will offer the wrestling icon a total of $6.45 million. Naturally, many are finding the amount a hard pill to swallow.

Taylor’s race to the 2024 Olympics might have ended on a bitter note, but it seems like not everyone anticipated such an alternate door to open up instead. However, now that it’s confirmed that the Penn State alum is the currently highest-paid collegiate wrestling coach in the country, it looks like his foreign colleagues are also pondering a trip to the USA for a similar career shift.

David Taylor’s bountiful contract draws attention from the Far East

In a post on X from earlier today, the Olympic medalist wrestler Rei Higuchi of Japan seems to be willing to make the trip halfway across the world in the hope of landing a similar job as David. “I’m going to look for a job in the U.S.” reads the caption of the post and is accompanied by a rather solemn-looking emoji that some might even speculate to be veiled sarcasm. Considering the US is a land of opportunities, it only seems plausible that he’s considering the switch. Whatever it may be, it’s undeniable that the 2020 Olympic gold medalist has bagged a role that’s only dreamt of by most.

Higuchi shared the OG post of WrestlersGrind, where the breakdown of David’s salary has been elaborated. From what it looks, the ex-NLWC star will be eligible for an early increment of $30,000. In his first year with the Cowboys, David is expected to be paid $1 million in base salary while he will earn $1.15 million in 2030. Along with the announced salary, Taylor can also earn additional benefits, including bonus pay, if he can lead OSU to the NCAA team or individual titles.

But the fortuitous perks don’t end just there. On Instagram, WrestlersGrind has also revealed that more bonuses are on the table for Taylor. Benefits like golf course membership, tickets to OSU’s home football games, and wrestling post-season tournaments are all part of the package. For obvious reasons, Higuchi’s ambition looks like something many others would agree with. The latest milestone achieved by the USA star could also accommodate him in a league of his own, where even his former coach might not be able to share the stage.

The Great National Wrestling Polarization ft. David Taylor

The jaw-dropping value of the deal could only be understood properly by comparing the same with the salary of some of the country’s most renowned wrestling coaches. For example, the Iowa Hawkeyes are one of the biggest collegiate programs and they seldom tend to spare any expenses to ensure the success of their athletes at national championships. And yet, their head coach Tom Brands will allegedly be paid a total of $700,000 for the 2024-25 season. Furthermore, while the contract details of Cael Sanderson were not made public by Penn State, it could be assumed that the amount of that deal has very little chance of being a million dollars. Considering how Sanderson has made Penn State a dominant name in the NCAA wrestling circuit, Taylor’s salary would seem like an emphatic show of confidence in his wisdom by OSU.

And yet, not everyone is on board with David’s move. Ever since his new role was announced, Penn State wrestlers have dissed Taylor’s decision with fierce passion and driven by the conviction that the move is a sort of betrayal against his alma mater. From Carter Starocci to debutant Olympian Aaron Brooks, jeers came from all sides but David remains unfazed by the criticism. But can he keep his head in the game with so much attention breathing down on his neck? The upcoming NCAA season will arrive with all the answers.