The Shocking Daily Price Penn State Pays to Part Ways with James Franklin Revealed

Losing your job usually stings—big time. But what if I told you that getting canned could actually turn into a massive payday? That’s exactly the bizarre twist in the story of James Franklin, the former head coach at Penn State. Yeah, you heard me right. Franklin’s exit from the Nittany Lions comes with a jaw-dropping $49 million buyout, a sum so colossal it feels almost surreal. Penn State isn’t just writing a check; they’re footing one of the heftiest bills in college football history—second only to Texas A&M’s staggering $76 million tab for Jimbo Fisher. As Terry Smith steps up to fill Franklin’s shoes, the school’s gotta hope the next hire is worth every penny because, let’s be honest, dropping that kind of cash and still struggling on the field? That’s a nightmare no fan or admin wants to face. Want to wrap your head around this monster payout in detail? LEARN MORE

Somehow, being fired may have been the most lucrative thing to ever happen to former head coach of the Penn State football program, James Franklin. That’s not something that most regular people can say about losing their job, but Franklin’s very public buyout charge will be costing his former employer a devastating fortune.

Some could say that State College in Pennsylvania will have to pay an arm and a leg to cough up James Franklin’s fee, but could we be underselling the value of an arm and a leg? How many limbs will it cost the school, and how many do they have to give?

Sorry, back on track here.

The cost for dumping Franklin is $49 million. That’s four, nine, and six zeroes — more money than you or I will ever see through our entire lifespans. According to Yahoo Sports via the New York Post, that’s the second-largest college football coach buyout in the sport’s history, behind only Texas A&M’s $76 million debt to Jimbo Fisher.

Associate head coach, Terry Smith will fill in for Franklin’s absence, while the former lead will receive checks for looking elsewhere for further employment.

If you’d like to put that $49 million account in perspective, the good people at @_MLFootball on X have crunched the numbers and done the math themselves.

Franklin’s payout will be received over the next six years. That means he’ll be receiving…

$0.25 per second
$15.22 per minute
$913 per hour
$21,917 per day
$158.8 thousand per week
$666.7 thousand per month

$21,917 per day? Incomprehensible.

In other words, Penn State had better be very certain they can find an upgrade at head coach. After all, such a steep payday for a head coach who, outside of this season, seemed to be a steady and capable hand to keep the Nittany Lions on the doorstep of national championship contention. They’d hate to foot this bill and lose football games in the process.

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