Jeff Tedford will average $1.65 million a year as Fresno State football coach, according to his newly signed five-year contract. The contract also features built-in raises and bonuses.

Tedford will earn $1.5 million for the 2022 season (the contract started Dec. 8, 2021) in base salary. That will escalate each season to $1.85 million for 2026.

You can read Tedford’s contract at this link.

Contract Similar to Norvell’s at Colorado State

The contract is similar to one Colorado State is giving its new football coach, Jay Norvell, who left the University of Nevada for the position with the Rams. According to the Coloradoan, Norvell is getting $1.6 million annually with raises of $100,000 per year through 2026.

The Mountain West’s highest-paid coach in 2021 was Craig Bohl of Wyoming at just over $1.6 million.

Tedford: ‘Everything Happens for a Reason’

Tedford returned to Fresno State as head football coach last week. The former head coach from 2017-2019, he resigned because of heart-related health problems. His base salary average annual value was $1.29 million.

Interim coach Lee Marks will lead the 9-3 Bulldogs for Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl against UTEP.

Last month, it was reported that Tedford was healthy again and interested in returning to coaching. A few weeks later, Bulldogs head coach Kalen DeBoer left for the University of Washington.

Tedford, at a news conference last week, called it fortuitous timing.

“The Lord just happened to create this position again. I’m a firm believer (that) everything happens for a reason. And I’m just fortunate that this is it,” Tedford said.

Bonuses for Performance On and Off the Field

Tedford will also receive bonuses for how the team does on the field, as well as how they do in the classroom.

A seven-win season will yield an extra $40,000. A 10 win season would bring a $100,000 reward.

A conference title is worth $75,000; winning the division is a $50,000 bonus.

Winning a national title would reap Tedford a $1 million bonus; just getting to a title game is worth $500,000. Winning any regular bowl game is $100,000 ($75,000 for just making it); a New Year’s Six bowl game is $350,000 for winning (or $250,000 for making it).

A Top 10 finish in the CFP final poll is a $75,000 bonus. Making it in the Top 25 is $50,000.

In the classroom, Tedford can earn between $50,000 and $90,000 for an APR ranging from 950 to 990 (the higher the better). There is also a sliding scale bonus for team grade-point average. A GPA 2.9 or better is $55,000.

Penalty for Leaving Early

If Tedford leaves the school prior to the completion of the 2024 season, there is a $1.5 million penalty. If the reason is health-related, the penalty is waived.

If Tedford is fired, he will be paid the remainder of his contract at a rate of 85%.

Washington reportedly is paying $1.5 million to Fresno State for signing away DeBoer.

View the Contract