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Dabo Swinney explains why his new Clemson contract includes ‘Alabama clause’
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When Clemson decided to give Dabo Swinney the richest contract in college football history recently, it did so with a catch. If Swinney attempts to leave the program for his alma mater, that decision was going to cost him.
If you missed it last week, Clemson and Swinney agreed to a 10-year contract worth $93 million. The average salary Clemson is prepared to pay Swinney is the same amount Nick Saban is scheduled to make at Alabama through the 2025 season.
During his recent appearance Florence Prowl & Growl, Swinney was asked about the “Alabama clause” in his new Clemson contract.
“Well, that came from the school and their proposal and I didn’t have a problem with it,” Swinney said in a YouTube video posted by The Clemson Insider. “This contract was all about a mutual commitment to each other — Clemson and myself. And so, I didn’t have any issues with it at all. Just honored to be able to be the coach here and it’s been a great decade and hopefully, we can have another decade and maybe another decade after that.”
Here are the buyout figures in Swinney’s new Clemson deal compared to his buyout figures if he leaves Clemson for Alabama.
Swinney’s buyout figures
- $4 million through Dec. 31, 2020
- $3 million through Dec. 31, 2022
- $2 million through Dec. 31, 2025
- $1 million through Dec. 31, 2026
- No buyout after Dec. 31, 2027
Swinney’s buyout figures if he leaves for Alabama
- $6 million through Dec. 31, 2020
- $4.5 million through Dec. 31, 2022
- $3 million through Dec. 31, 2025
- $1.5 million through Dec. 31, 2026
- No buyout after Dec. 31, 2027
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
