Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson’s extension gives him security and a salary bump, but, compared to his most well-compensated peers, is not exorbitant.
Johnson’s four-year extension, which replaces the final two years of the previous agreement and runs through 2020, is worth a total of $18.1 million, an annual average of $3.02 million. By average, it makes him the third-highest paid coach in the ACC behind Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher ($3.8 million) and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($3.39 million). He will be barely ahead of Louisville’s Bobby Petrino ($3 million). The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a copy of the contract through an open records request.
Johnson’s previous contract, which was through 2016, averaged $2.5 million. He had two years left on the deal. The new contract differs from the previous deal in that Johnson will not be paid the full value of the contract if he is fired. He would receive the full remaining value of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons, if terminated before then, but the buyout would be reduced to $1 million per season for the final three years. The contract also stipulates a $750,000 buyout if Johnson leaves to take a head coaching job with another FBS team.
Johnson and Tech athletic director Mike Bobinski agreed on the extension the day before the ACC championship game. It followed the Yellow Jackets’ 10-2 record in the regular season and ACC Coastal Division championship, for which he was named the ACC coach of the year for the third time in his first seven seasons.
