Dabo Swinney has Alabama clause in his contract buyout
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney after the 14-8 win over Georgia Tech in Clemson, S.C., September 18, 2021. Credit: Ken Ruinard / staff via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has been one name floated around as a potential successor to Nick Saban in Alabama. Swinney’s current contract, however, doesn’t help that possibility.
Swinney signed a gargantuan 10-year contract with Clemson in 2022. The deal made Swinney the second-highest-paid coach in college football just behind — you guessed it — Saban.
The contract included a specific clause to hinder Swinney from potentially moving to Alabama. The clause stipulates that Swinney’s buyout figure would escalate by 50% if the team pursuing the 54-year-old coach was Alabama.
If Swinney were to leave for any other team next season, the coach would have to pay Clemson a $5 million buyout. He would have to pay 50% more at $7.5 million if he went to Alabama.
Buyouts for potential Alabama head coach candidates
Dan Lanning — $20 million
Kalen DeBoer — $12 million
Dabo Swinney — $7.5 million
James Franklin — $6 million
Mike Norvell — $4 million— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 10, 2024
Ppaying an extra $2.5 million is next to nothing for a powerhouse football program like Alabama. Any monetary figure is likely secondary to actually getting who Alabama decision-makers truly think is the best candidate to replace Saban.
Despite Swinney’s ties to the school as a former Crimson Tide wide receiver, the Clemson coach doesn’t appear to be one of the top candidates for the job. Oddsmakers didn’t even have Swinney among the top five favorites to land the job as of Thursday.