Ever wonder how much it costs to part ways with a valuable coach? Well, wonder no more! The amount Penn State would have to pay James Franklin if they decide to finally cut the cord has been revealed—and spoiler alert—it’s a generational fortune!
Brace yourselves: it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $54 million. Yes, that’s not a typo. Franklin wasn’t joking when he signed that $75 million contract extension.
Disappointed Penn State fans who made the cross-country trip to Pasadena for the Big Ten matchup were heard chanting ‘Fire Franklin!’ as the Nittany Lions were trailing in the first half. And since then, a number of fans have called for Franklin’s job on X.
Of course, firing the 15th highest-paid college football coach in the country comes at a price: About $50 million or so.
Franklin signed a 10-year extension worth a guaranteed $75 million in 2021. The guarantees him $56 million if he’s fired during the 2025 season and $48 million if he gets the axe on January 1 or later.
Fans expected the Nittany Lions to compete for a national championship in 2025. But after a home loss to No. 6 Oregon – which dropped Franklin’s record against top-10 teams to 4-21 – many have already seen enough.
The problem is, Penn State is in the midst of a $700 million renovation with Beaver Stadium, so the program may not be able to afford to simultaneously pay Franklin and his replacement.
‘James Franklin should be fired,’ one fan wrote on X. ‘But $50 million is a gigantic sum. Bottom line, no Penn State fan will ever trust him again. Rightfully so.’
A few entrepreneurial fans offered some solutions.
‘If every living alumni contributes $60 to the buyout, Penn State can easily get rid of James Franklin,’ one joked online.
Another asked: ‘Can we start a GoFundMe for a James Franklin buyout?’
Congrats, Penn State. You’re stuck in a very expensive ‘situationship’ with James Franklin.
