After a six-year sabbatical, Chip Kelly returned to college football in December, signing a five-year, $23.3-million contract as UCLA head coach. Less than two years later, things aren't great in Westwood.
Kelly's return has started with 11 losses in his first 14 games, the most recent of which was a Week 2 loss to San Diego State that put UCLA at 0-2 as they seek to avoid a second straight 0-5 start. And although Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times said this week on the High Motor podcast that Kelly's job is safe, let's look at the five-year contract.
Kelly's base salary is only $300,000 per year for each of the five years, though there's an annual "talent fee" for participating in public appearances, fundraising events and other functions. The talent fee starts at $3 million. Total salary (base plus talent fee) for each year:
2019: $3.3 million
2020: $3.5 million
2021: $4.3 million
2022: $4.6 million
2023: $4.6 million
Kelly is eligible for three $1-million retention bonuses, each owed if he's still head coach through Feb. 15, 2021, Feb. 15, 2022, and Jan. 1, 2023. And he can earn more than $1 million per year in on- and off-the-field bonuses. Among the on-field bonuses:
Top 10 in final AP top 25: $25,000
Pac-12 Coach of the Year: $50,000
Pac-12 Championship appearance: $50,000
Pac-12 Championship win: $50,000
National Coach of the Year: $100,000
New Year's Six Bowl: $100,000
New Year's Six Bowl win: $100,000
CFP semifinal appearance: $100,000
CFB national championship appearance: $150,000
National championship win: $200,000
Chip Kelly's buyout is simple: If fired without cause during the first four years of the contract, he is owed $9 million. That's far less than the $12 million buyout owed to former head coach Jim Mora, who in 2017 collected 80 percent of his remaining salary in a contract that ran through the 2021 season.
MORE: Taggart Buyout Details
MORE: Pruitt Buyout Details
