Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Contract: Salary, Buyout, Bonuses

One of the most interesting coaching moves of the post-2022 college football cycle was Jeff Brohm’s decision to make a semi-lateral move from Purdue to Louisville.

The Cardinals have produced a Heisman Trophy odds winner in the last decade, and they don’t quite have as much traffic ahead of them in the ACC that Purdue has in the Big Ten. The Louisville football win total (7.5) is noticeably higher than that of the Purdue football win total (5.5), and he likely has a higher ceiling in the College Football Playoff odds market. 

Still, Brohm’s status at Louisville is ultimately the same as it was at Purdue: the head man at a middle-class P5 program.

Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Salary

Jeff Brohm’s base salary at Louisville begins at $5 million for the 2023 season. The base increases by $100,000 each new year he remains under contract.

Jeff Brohm’s Contract

Jeff Brohm’s contract with Louisville was initially written and signed as a six-year deal that runs through Dec. 31, 2028. The contract is automatically extended by a year if Brohm wins seven games in a season at any point; it’s extended by two years if Brohm wins 10 games in a season. 

These automatic extensions only govern the original six years, and without an explicit contract extension, they can only create a maximum of two extra years. 

Brohm’s contract includes a number of performance incentives, including a $100,000 bonus for bowl eligibility, a $100,000 bonus for reaching the ACC championship game, and a $250,000 bonus for reaching the College Football Playoff.

Louisville is currently +1000 in the ACC football championship odds, behind Clemson, Florida State, and North Carolina.

Jeff Brohm Buyout

If Jeff Brohm leaves Louisville for another job, he (or the team he is departing for) will owe the university $1 million in damages. 

If Jeff Brohm is fired without cause, Louisville will owe him 100% of the value of his remaining contract.

Jeff Brohm’s Purdue Salary

Jeff Brohm was paid $4.5 million in base salary for his work as the Purdue football head coach in 2022. He would have received an additional $600,000 bonus if he had remained the head coach in West Lafayette through Dec. 31, 2022.