Sam Pittman's buyout, contract details at Arkansas after Notre Dame loss

Coming out of an ugly loss to Notre Dame this weekend, the question naturally arises: How much would Arkansas have to shell out to part ways with Sam Pittman?

Where things stand with Arkansas and head football coach Sam Pittman following the Hogs' 2-2 start. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Arkansas made a big investment in head football coach Sam Pittman after he led the program to its first nine-win season in a decade back in 2022, but now the school, or at least its fans, may be having second thoughts about that arrangement as his team fell to 2-3 this weekend.

Following an ugly 56-13 loss at home against Notre Dame, the Razorbacks dipped back below .500, once again raising questions around the future of Pittman with the school, and what financial measures would be required to affect a divorce.

ESPN college football analyst Pete Thamel described Pittman’s contract at Arkansas as “the goofiest buyout in college sports,” centered around a series of bizarre performance incentives that influence what the school would owe him. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Sam Pittman contract, buyout details at Arkansas

Arkansas and Pittman agreed to a new contract extension back in 2022 that increased his base salary and extended his employment with the school potentially through the 2027 football season based on the success of his team on the field.

The five-year pact began retroactively on Jan. 1, 2022 and is effective through Dec. 31, 2026, and can be extended an additional year, through Dec. 31, 2027, if Pittman leads the Razorbacks to seven wins in any one season during the term of the contract.

If Pittman finishes this season at .500 or better when taking his total wins and losses since the 2021 season, Arkansas would owe him nearly $9.8 million if it decides to part ways, or the equivalent of 75 percent of his salary.

To keep the buyout at that higher level, he would have to win five games. But if Pittman wins just four games, and if Arkansas finishes 4-8 or worse this year, then the buyout drops to about $6.9 million.

After the loss to Notre Dame this weekend, Pittman is 29-27 overall at Arkansas since the 2021 season.

It’s definitely one of the most unique buyouts in college football, structured in a way that even sacking the coach of a middling football team would be quite an expensive prospect.

Winning five games would trigger a nearly $10 million payout, but losing another game would save the school almost $3 million from that figure, an arrangement that critics believe make it seem like Arkansas is limiting its options in finding a better coach.

Sam Pittman at Arkansas

2020: 3-7 (3-7 SEC)

2021: 9-4 (4-4 SEC), ranked No. 21 in AP poll

2022: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)

2023: 4-8 (1-7 SEC)

2024: 7-6 (3-5 SEC)

2025: 2-3 (0-1 SEC) through 5 games

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