Dabo Swinney sounds like he’ll be getting a raise whether he wins the national championship game or not.
Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich confirmed Saturday that he will open negotiations for a new contract with Swinney after Monday night’s championship game, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
“We’ve been in lockstep on it that we weren’t going to talk about any of that until after the season was over,” Radakovich said. “He and his staff have done a tremendous job, and that’s certainly something that will be looked at once the season is over.”
Radakovich said that he had already had one preliminary discussion about renegotiating Swinney’s deal with his agent.
Swinney currently makes $3.3 million annually, 26th among FBS coaches over the past season. According to Schlabach, the raise could put Swinney’s salary in the $5 million range, which would bump him into the top ten.
Swinney has certainly earned it. He has a 75-26 record as Clemson coach since taking over midway through the 2008 season. Under his leadership, the Tigers have won at least ten games every season over the last five years, a mark that only Monday night’s opponent, Alabama, can claim as well. He’s taken Clemson from a good program to an elite one, and he’s even come close to burying the word “Clemsoning,” so he deserves the rewards.
