We have seen a serious shift over the last few days when it comes to football coaches, both in the college and NFL ranks. Three of the most storied and successful head coaches to ever put on a headset will be departing from the jobs that brought them to prominence, and we will see new faces on the sidelines in places like New England and Alabama next season. The three big names took their top-10 salaries with them, causing a massive shift on the board of the highest paid coaches in American sports.
Sports Business: Belichick Out As #1 Paid Coach
Thank you, Coach Belichick. pic.twitter.com/N13NSSbeon
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 11, 2024
First, it was Pete Carroll. Earlier this week, the long-time Seahawks coach was quoted as saying that he wasn’t tired and far from finished when it came to retirement talk, but he stepped down as the team’s leader on Wednesday morning.
Later in the day, legendary college coach Nick Saban shocked the football world when he announced that he was retiring from the game. One of the greatest winners that the game has ever seen, Saban went 201-29 in 17 years at the helm at the University of Alabama, winning 6 of his 7 career National Championships at the school.
Finally, early on Thursday morning, it was announced that the New England Patriots were parting ways with Bill Belichick. There had been plenty of rumors surrounding the all-time great’s immediate future, but the decision was set in stone after the Patriots finished the NFL season with a 4-13 record.
Who Is In The Top-10 Of Highest Paid Coaches?
Sean Payton ($18 million annually) is now the highest-paid coach in U.S. Sports, per @sportico.
Bill Belichick (#1), Pete Carroll (#4) & Nick Saban (#10) have all been removed from the list — making room for Erik Spoelstra, Andy Reid & Dabo Swinney.
They all make $11.5M and up. pic.twitter.com/sy4UruEZgN
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) January 11, 2024
Due to all of the moves, there have been some serious shifts when it comes to the highest paid coaches in North American sports. Belichick was #1 on the list, Carroll was #4, and Saban had the 10th richest contract.
With their departure, there are three new faces in the Top-10. Thanks also to his recent signing of a contract extension, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra now comes in at #3 on the list, and the second-highest paid NBA coach behind Gregg Popovich. The other newcomers are Andy Reid and Dabo Swinney, who round out the bottom of the list by each making $11.5 million per year.
The #1 spot now belongs to Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who makes $18 million per thanks to the gaudy deal that he agreed to in 2023. 6 of the top 10 are NFL coaches, while Monty Williams joins Popovich and Spoelstra as the NBA representatives. Swinney is the only coach of a non-professional sports team on the list now that Saban is gone.
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