James Franklin is owed a massive buyout after he was fired on Sunday, and one report claims Penn State is going to get a big assist with paying it.
According to Mike Asti of WVU Sports Now, Adidas wanted Penn State to make a coaching change. The apparel juggernaut recently signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with Penn State that will begin in 2026. Adidas has reportedly committed to paying the majority of the nearly $50 million buyout that Franklin has.
Asti said a Penn State source responded to his report and said the decision to fire Franklin was made by school administrators.
Someone at Penn State reached out to me to say that the decision to fire James Franklin was made by the administration. That person did not mention anything about Adidas’ influence or the money at all. I know there were people at PSU who wanted him gone, but what I’ve heard is…
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) October 12, 2025
Adidas paid a massive sum of money to secure an apparel deal with Penn State, which is currently with Nike. It would hardly be a surprise if the company had some influence over the Franklin decision.
Penn State lost to Northwestern at home on Saturday, which marked the third consecutive loss for the Nittany Lions. Franklin received a tough reception from fans before the game, and the loss to Northwestern was the final straw for him.
The Nittany Lions began the season 3-0 and had easy wins over Nevada, FIU and Villanova. They lost a close one at home to Oregon 30-24 and then were stunned by previously winless UCLA 42-37. UCLA had looked like the worst team in college football prior to pulling off that upset win. Though, UCLA then beat Michigan State 38-13 on Saturday, showing that they seem to be a different team since firing coach DeShaun Foster.
Penn State has had three straight double-digit win seasons. They finished last season ranked No. 4 in the country after reaching the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. Franklin’s teams have had a tendency to play poorly in big games despite their regular-season success.
