Bonus totals revealed for College Football Playoff coaches

Making the College Football Playoff comes with financial bonuses for coaches via contract incentives, and the coaches this year have had theirs revealed. With the College Football Playoff teams set finally, USA Today Sports has detailed what each coach will be making just for reaching the top four spots.

Coaches bonus for making playoff

As outlined by USA Today Sports’ Steve Berkowitz on Sunday, the four coaches who made the playoff stand to receive hefty payouts. Leading the way is Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh with a $2 million bonus for his work.

Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell comes in with $545,000 for their incredible season. Alabama’s Nick Saban is right behind him with $525,000, with Georgia’s Kirby Smart making $350,000.

Harbaugh’s bonus payout jumps off the page after his contract was reworked to be loaded with incentives by Michigan. All four coaches certainly stand to make additional money by winning in the semifinal games and making the National Championship.

With the final seedings in place for the playoff, Alabama will play Cincinnati after taking the No. 1 ranking in the nation away from Georgia. Michigan’s dominant victory in the Big Ten Championship game earned them the No. 2 ranking, which puts them against Georgia.

Despite losing so late in the season, Georgia’s previous body of work and the fact that they lost to the now No. 1 team in the nation kept them in the playoff.

Harbaugh to donate entirety of bonus payments

Michigan’s coach Jim Harbaugh announced prior to even winning the Big Ten Championship that any bonus money he makes this postseason will go to athletic department employees who had their pay cut during the pandemic.

“Sarah and I were talking about it last night,” Harbaugh said of his decision made with his wife. “We decided that any bonus money that I am to receive through this season will be redirected to reimburse U-M athletic department employees who have stayed while taking a voluntary or mandatory pay reduction during the last 18 months during the pandemic.”

Harbaugh’s reworked contract cut his base salary to $4 million while tacking on bonuses and incentives to earn it back. He could earn as much as an extra $3.75 million in incentives for making the College Football Playoff and winning the national championship, among other kickers.

“Whether it’s folks that work here in football or at the ticket department or baseball coaches, (swim coach) Mike Bottom, there’s so many people that my wife has gotten very close to, kids have, really just our family contribution to those that have had some financial strain through the last 18 months,” Harbaugh said.

Michigan Athletics laid off 21 in the department during the COVID-19 pandemic and left 15 positions unfilled. There was also a hiring freeze and salary reductions within the department.

On3’s Anthony Broome contributed to this article.