Photo courtesy of Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Communications
Tony Elliott UVA Football Contract Breakdown
Details have been revealed on the six-year deal Tony Elliott signed to become the head coach of the Virginia football program, as first reported on Monday night by Mike Barber at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Elliott will make an estimated $4.1 million in his first season in 2022 and that payment will increase by around $150,000 every two seasons.
In his final season as Virginia head coach, Bronco Mendenhall's base salary was $4.25 million.
Here is a breakdown of Elliott's salary for the next six seasons at UVA:
| Year | Payment |
|---|---|
2022 | $4.1 million |
2023 | $4.24 million |
2024 | $4.24 million |
2025 | $4.4 million |
2026 | $4.4 million |
2027 | $4.55 million |
The offer sheet Elliott signed included a $350,000 signing bonus and $40,000 for moving expenses.
The details of the contract stipulate an automatic extension if Virginia makes an appearance in the ACC Championship Game or if the Cavaliers have a 10-win season.
There is an $8 million buyout in the deal, but that amount will be lowered by $2 million each season.
Elliott's contract also includes the following bonus incentives:
| Incentive | Bonus |
|---|---|
ACC Championship Game appearance | $50,000 |
ACC Championship | $100,000 |
Bowl game appearance | $25,000-$100,000 |
College Football Playoff appearance | $500,000 |
Top 25 Final Ranking | $50,000 |
Top 20 Final Ranking | $75,000 |
Top 15 Final Ranking | $100,000 |
Top 10 Final Ranking | $125,000 |
Top 5 Final Ranking | $150,000 |
ACC Coach of the Year | $75,000 |
At Clemson, Elliott was one of the top-paid assistants in college football. In February of 2021, Elliott signed an extension that elevated his annual salary to $2 million.
Virginia has certainly made Elliott's decision to take the UVA football head coaching job a lucrative one.
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