How Penn State could go from owing James Franklin $50 million to not owing him a single penny

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Penn State fired head coach James Franklin and now the Nittany Lions owe him roughly $50 million in a buyout clause.

Franklin’s buyout is the second largest in college football history, behind only Texas A&M’s $76 million payout to Jimbo Fisher after his firing in 2023.

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However, Penn State protected itself. Thanks to specific clauses in Franklin’s contract, the Nittany Lions might not owe him a single penny if everything goes their way.

From $50 million to zero: James Franklin’s case

When Franklin signed his extension with Penn State in 2021, a section stated that he’s “obligated” to look for a new job if he gets fired, per Front Office Sports.

The section also adds that if he gets a new job between now and 2031, the year his deal would have expired, the salary he earns from that job will “offset” the amount Penn State owes him.

Here are those clauses from his contract, according to FOS:

Once terminated, Coach is obligated to diligently search for and make a good faith effort to obtain another position appropriate for his skill set (i.e., coaching, scouting and broadcasting only) and to provide the university upon request with evidence that he is seeking such employment.

Should Coach obtain such applicable employment prior to the date this Contract would otherwise have expired, the University’s obligation to make payments to Coach … will be offset by the total compensation earned by Coach from such applicable new position through the end of the otherwise unexpired term of this agreement.

In conclusion, Penn State is more interested in Franklin getting a new job than Franklin himself. That’s how they can save $50 million.

This news was originally published on this post .

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