Clemson Signs AD Graham Neff to New Deal

Graham Neff is signed with Clemson through 2031.

Clemson Director of Athletics Graham Neff signed a contract extension. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

CLEMSON, S.C.-- Clemson Tigers athletic director Graham Neff received a four-year contract extension and raise on Friday by the university's Board of Trustees, signing Neff through July 30, 2031.

The new deal, which gives Neff a base salary of $1 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year with a $100,000 increase each season, includes up to $250,000 worth of bonuses each year and a retention bonus worth $300,000 if he remains in the role by next July.

Neff's previous contract was set to expire in 2027.

The State Newspaper's Chapel Fowler first reported Neff's extension.

Neff is currently in his fourth season as Clemson's athletic director after being the Tigers' deputy AD from 2014-21. He first joined the university in 2013 as the Associate AD of Finance and Facilities.

“He’s doing a wonderful job as our AD and represents us very well on the national scale,” university president Jim Clements told the board of trustees when presenting the new contract for approval. “We’d like to lock him in long-term and make sure that he remains at Clemson for the remainder of his career.”

The 14th athletic director in Clemson history, Neff has been the university's leader in a time of constant change with the NCAA Transfer Portal, NIL and revenue share all going into effect in his time with the program and evolving even further during his time as AD.

In his time at Clemson, Neff has also been at the forefront of multiple facilities upgrades, namely football and multiple women's sports, while also taking charge of coaching contracts, including Dabo Swinney's new deal in 2022 and multiple extensions for Brad Brownell.

Most notably, Neff was a major factor in Clemson's lawsuit against the ACC, which ultimately laid out what it would cost Clemson to leave the ACC.

“I’ve said it a couple of times now because I love the phrase and I’ve said it a lot more internally: A strong ACC is good for Clemson, and a strong Clemson is good for the ACC,” Neff said last August.

Specific to the ACC, Clemson has won seven conference titles since Neff became the AD, including two in football.