PJ Fleck’s new contract: Buyouts, bonuses, perks and what it means

PJ Fleck addresses the media moments after signing 7-year contract extension

The football coach's new contract will keep him at the University of Minnesota for seven more years.

MINNEAPOLIS - Big things appear to be on the horizon for the University of Minnesota football program under PJ Fleck.

It’s why Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle signed Fleck to a 7-year contract extension on Tuesday. Fleck is now under contract with the Gophers through the 2026 season. Minnesota, ranked No. 13 in the country and 8-0 on the season for the first time since 1941, hosts No. 5-ranked Penn State on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Here’s what you need to know about Fleck’s contract, which is pending approval from the school’s Board of Regents:

Starting next season, he’ll earn a base salary of $4.6 million. That puts him seventh among Big Ten coaches and 22nd nationally. So who currently makes more than Fleck? Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh ($7.5 million), Purdue’s Jeff Brohm ($6.6 million), Penn State’s James Franklin ($5.6 million), Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald ($5.1 million), Nebraska’s Scott Frost ($5 million) and Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz ($4.8 million)

The buyouts

Speculation had been looming that other schools were calling on Fleck to leave the Gophers for their coaching job, which partially fueled Tuesday’s contract extension. So how much would it cost another program to lure Fleck away?

After next season, the buyout to acquire Fleck is $10 million
During Year 2, it’s $4.5 million
During Years 3 and 4, it’s $3 million
During Years 5 and 6, it’s $2 million

If Fleck continues to have success with the Gophers, Coyle and the university will have some work to do to keep him in Minnesota.

The bonuses

Here’s a look at the incentives Fleck gets, based on what the Gophers accomplish:

Win the Big Ten Championship $150,000
Win or tie in the Big Ten West $100,00
Win the National Coach of the Year $100,000
Win the Big Ten Coach of the Year $50,000
Win the College Football Playoff $300,000
Get to the College Football Playoff $200,000
New Year’s Six bowl game $150,000
Other bowl game $125,000 or $75,000
Beating a Power 5 opponent in a bowl game $50,000

Fleck also gets bonuses based on the team’s Academic Performance Rate and Graduation Success Rate

Other perks

PJ Fleck has access to a private aircraft when making recruiting visits and for other footballrelated travel more than 200 miles from the Twin Cities. He can’t fly more than 60 hours in a fiscal year.
Fleck has a suite for all home football games, up to 20 tickets for any Gophers bowl game, up to six season tickets for Gopher men’s basketball, four season tickets for men’s hockey.
Fleck gets up to $49,000 in Nike Elite equipment for assistant coaches and support staff

Fleck is committed to bringing a championship to Minnesota, and the university is trying to do its part to give him the resources to get there.