Massive Contract for Former Iowa State Cyclones Head Coach Matt Campbell Revealed

How big was the contract that Matt Campbell received from the Penn State Nittany Lions?

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell celebrates after an interception by defenders against Kansas during the fourth quarter in the senior day on Nov. 22, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was a busy Monday morning for the Iowa State Cyclones, who introduced their new head coach, Jimmy Rogers. On the flip side of things, it was also the introduction of their former coach, Matt Campbell, with the Penn State Nittany Lions. 

After a wild weekend, things are starting to settle down for the time being for the Cyclones. Iowa State now has Rogers in charge, and he will be tasked with trying to build upon the success that Campbell created for the program. 

As shown by Campbell being pursued by Penn State, he has been regarded as one of the best coaches in the country, and Rogers will have some big shoes to fill. While it certainly wasn’t easy for Campbell to leave Iowa State, considering what he was able to build for the program, the contract and the support that he is going to receive from Penn State is top-notch, and it’s completely understandable why he ultimately made the decision to go. 

Campbell Receives Massive Contract

Penn State has made the terms of Matt Campbell’s contract public.

Eight years, $70.5 million guaranteed.

Automatic one-year extension for each CFP appearance. #WeAre #PennState pic.twitter.com/rasktX3i85

— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) December 8, 2025

The eight-year, $70.5 million deal for Campbell is a massive contract from the Nittany Lions, and it shows their commitment to him and the high expectations that he will have with the program. Furthermore, there are a bunch of bonuses in the deal as well, highlighted by one year being added on to his deal for every time he makes the College Football Playoff. 

With some serious financial backing and the ability to land more four and five-star recruits, Campbell should be able to build a strong program rather quickly for the Nittany Lions. During his tenure with Iowa State, he always did a good job developing prospects, and now he will have a chance to add impact players right away. 

As shown by the money that Penn State gave Campbell, the Cyclones likely never had a chance of being able to keep him around. This was a massive offer by a desperate team, and Campbell is going into a strong situation. 

For Iowa State, they obviously don’t have the same financial capacity as the Nittany Lions, but they will be providing more for Rogers than he has had previously. The talented coach could very well make the most of the opportunity and continue to build on what Campbell has built. Overall, the money given to Campbell makes his decision to leave clearer, with that being simply too much to pass up on.