# Largest College Football and Basketball Buyouts

> Fired coaches get massive buyouts rivaling active salaries in college sports.
- Title: Largest College Football and Basketball Buyouts · SI
- Summary: Fired coaches get massive buyouts rivaling active salaries in college sports. Top college football coaches received $53.2 million buyouts when fired, with…
- Keywords: college football, college basketball, buyout, coaching, sports, athletic department, college sports, coaches, fired coaches, buyouts, Largest, College
- Source: SI — https://si.com/college-football/largest-buyouts-college-football-mens-college-basketball-history
- Published: 2026-10-21T16:03:59+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: college football, college basketball, buyout, coaching, sports, athletic department, college sports, coaches, fired coaches, buyouts
## Fired coaches earn big buyouts
Fired college football and basketball coaches receive buyouts that rival active salaries.
## College football buyouts
Jimbo Fisher got $77.6 million from Texas A&M, Brian Kelly $53.2 million from LSU.
## Top football buyouts
Mark Stoops received $37.6 million from Kentucky, Jonathan Smith $33 million from Michigan State.
## Football buyouts continue
Gus Malzahn got $21.4 million from Auburn, Billy Napier $21.2 million from Florida.
## Football buyouts list
Charlie Weis got $18.9 million from Notre Dame, Willie Taggart $17 million from Florida State.
## Football buyouts list
Ed Orgeron got $17 million from LSU, Hugh Freeze $15.8 million from Auburn.
## Honorable mentions
Maryland's Mike Locksley got $9.6 million after eight seasons and a 39-54 record.
## Penn State buyout
Penn State fired James Franklin for $48.6 million, but he got $9 million after negotiating with Virginia Tech.
## 2025 buyouts
Fired coaches in 2025 earned $224 million total through buyouts and settlements.
## Payment structures
Some buyouts are paid over time, like Mark Stoops' $6.75 million annually through April 2031.
## College basketball buyouts
Danny Manning got $14.7 million from Wake Forest, Patrick Ewing $12.5 million from Georgetown.
## Basketball buyouts list
Archie Miller got $10.3 million from Indiana, Tubby Smith $9.75 million from Memphis.
## Basketball buyouts list
Thad Matta got $9 million from Ohio State, Matt McMahon $8 million from LSU.
## Basketball buyouts list
Kevin Keatts got $6.75 million from NC State, Mike Woodson $6.5 million from Indiana.
## Basketball buyouts list
Avery Johnson got $5.5 million from Alabama, Rodney Terry $5.4 million from Texas.
## Kansas State case
Jerome Tang's buyout was $18.7 million but he got $12 million after a lawsuit settlement.
## UConn case
Kevin Ollie won $3.9 million after a lawsuit, plus $11.1 million from an arbitrator ruling.
## Vanderbilt case
Jerry Stackhouse got $3.4 million in tax records from 2024 after being fired.
## Key takeaway

Top college football coaches received $53.2 million buyouts when fired, with basketball buyouts at $14.7 million.