Joe Paterno’s Embarrassingly Low Salary: $512,664
Uncategorized November 30th. 2007, 9:10am
At first glance it’s not bad, right? Of course that’s only a pittance of what he’s really making – when you factor in bonuses, TV/Radio, a cut of ticket revenue (maybe) and endorsements, the 80-year-old Paterno (81 in 22 days) is easily clearing a million a year. But what’s strange is when you look at his base salary, it doesn’t even put him in the upper crust in the Big 10 (nevermind the Nick Saban’s of the world, who are totaling $4 million per). In fact, JoePa’s one of the lowest-paid, according to a USA Today article from November 2006. The breakdown after the jump.
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa, $2.8 million
Jim Treseel, OSU, $890,000
Glen Mason, Minnesota, $760,000
Bret Bielema, Wisconsin, $750,000
Lloyd Carr, Michigan, $647,619
John L. Smith, Michigan State, $645,834
We should add that it’s a great thing the Patriot News went all the way to court with this. Nice work, folks.
No longer a secret, Paterno’s base coaching salary is $512,664 (NY Times)
39 Responses to “Joe Paterno’s Embarrassingly Low Salary: $512,664”
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November 30th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Bet Iowa sure feels like they’re getting their money’s worth out of Ferentz!
November 30th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Why is it great? It was an atempt to embarass a man that has helped build a great reputation for the university and given MILLIONS to the school because the team had a few down years.
And the fact that he obviously could name his price to the school and get it, but obviously hasn’t, isn’t embarrassing; its noble. The people who should be embarrassed are administrators at schools like Iowa and Minnesota for paying that much for mediocrity.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:17 am
There are a few typos in that comment of mine, but TBL got me a little worked up.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Besides, he lives in happy valley, whats a house cost there? Five dollars? Ten? He makes enough to give himself a suite at Happy Farms Retirement Home for the next 10-15yrs.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:20 am
The Devil in the Sweatervest doesnt clear a mil ticket? I think Maurice Clarrett cleared atleast 800k.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Considering he donated an entire Library to the school I suspected he was making at least over 1 mil.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:27 am
This number made former Carolina guard Joe Forte blush.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:29 am
$500,000+ has a way of adding up when you’ve been coaching for 150 years
November 30th, 2007 at 9:30 am
wow joe forte reference
he should of stayed in school a couple more years huh
same with rashard mccants it seems like also SVP
November 30th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Mike D’Antonio coaches at State this year. Your face slapping friend there was fired a year ago…
November 30th, 2007 at 9:39 am
well, joepa works is a nike mouthpiece. and they pay a pretty penny. probably gets more from nike than he does from penn state (base salary).
November 30th, 2007 at 9:39 am
It makes me respect the guy. Sure, he could be banking a ton more money, but why get caught up in all that. Just do your job and pocket half a million that you’ll never be able to spend.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:42 am
As a PSU alum and season ticket holder, I was kind of glad to see he wasn’t pulling in Saban-like money. That being said, whatever we’re paying Jaypa is way too much, even if it’s $1.50.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am
@ Magglio
Oh USA Today article from November 2006. No kidding John L. Smith is still on there. Why don’t you read the whole post asshole.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Magglio… please the second-to-last line before the salary list where it explicitly states the article was from November 2006.
Definitely makes me respect JoePa a lot more. Granted, I think the guy should still retire, but it’s nice to see an old guy give an “eff you” to a paper that’s been after him for a while. I wouldn’t call the salary “embarrassingly low,” TBL, unless you’re talking from the perspective of the Harrisburg paper.
November 30th, 2007 at 9:45 am
dude, did you just call yourself an asshole?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:46 am
A lot of coaches should take note of this – if you don’t squeeze the institution for every last drop of money you can get, they might be more willing to give you some leeway during down years. Even if they wanted to, why would PSU fire Paterno when his replacement would likely cost them at least twice as much?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:52 am
bit of a misnomer, although paterno is named for him he only donated a portion, he spearheaded the donation drive for the library though and raised something like 30 million through other people, thats why he got the name. but still, his family has donated several million for other things on campus too.
and he lives modestly, lives in a regular house around students. drives a nice bmw but hes not a flashy guy
however with my 47k a year going to psu, i honestly feel better now than if he were getting paid saban money
November 30th, 2007 at 9:58 am
oh yeah also apparently he said yesterday he wants to coach five more years. which led to me and my roommate wondering if any coach has died of old age while being an active head coach. anyone know?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:58 am
It’s terrible that some college coaches are paid as much, if not more than, an NFL coach. Nick Saban is sleazy anyway, at least JoPa reminds everyone of their grandpa or funny looking great uncle with the glasses he wears.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:01 am
why? you could argue that with recruiting and the fact that youre dealing with kids (christ look at how many psu players are in court this year, worse than any nfl team), the pressure of losing one game and your season being done, and rivalries bigger than most nfl rivalries; it is a much more stressful job. also i wouldnt be shocked if the big programs made more money than nfl teams due to the extra seating capacities
November 30th, 2007 at 10:06 am
I’m surprised Penn St. fought this so hard. I was thinking Joe was clearing a couple million a year by the way they kept fighting to keep his salary confidential.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:06 am
..granted a douchebagel like ferentz should definitely be making much much less than tressel and joepa. but i think its perfectly reasonable that coaches of schools like um, psu, osu, nd, usc, lsu, bama, florida, make more than nfl coaches
November 30th, 2007 at 10:08 am
I think even college coaches would tell you that you get way more time off as a college coach and it is definitely LESS stressful than being an NFL head coach, where you get almost no time off.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:09 am
I think it is strange that Phil Jackson would be the THIRD highest paid player on his team! If he were playing and not coahing… That is sick really.
Kobe = 19 MIL
Odum = 13 MIL
Coach Phil = 12 MIL
November 30th, 2007 at 11:17 am
molemaninthemorning:
I wouldn’t say the job is more stressful, most coaches don’t put in the hours an NFL coach does. Most coaches that have gone from NCAA to NFL have noted that and vice versa. The rivalries are great, but if you ask the coaches, I bet most of them wouldn’t be nearly as passionate as a fan or player about it.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Hey TBL, somebody told me that Cowherd is all over this story this morning. And your post came before his show began.
Hmmmmm……..
November 30th, 2007 at 11:31 am
well i mean the rivalries add to the stress in that not beating your rival is more likely to cost you your job in college than the pros. but i guess the hours thing does make a difference. still i dont think its unreasonable that the top programs’ coaches make as much or sometimes more than nfl coaches. but again, someone like ferentz, absolutely not, the faustian deal that guy has is amazing
November 30th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Kirk Ferentz is good at Fellatio
November 30th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Mole: You must be living in the 80’s…”but i think its perfectly reasonable that coaches of schools like um, psu, osu, nd, usc, lsu, bama, florida, make more than nfl coaches”
How can you include Penn State, ND, and Bama with those other schools?
November 30th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
You have to include ND with the top schools unless they have a terrible streak of many losing seasons. Their history alone and the desire for players to go there put it in the top.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Wilhelm… Thats like saying the Redskins are a top NFL franchise. Not logical.
November 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Desire for players to go there? Is that why like 5 or 6 players have left the team _during the season_ this year? It amazes that more people aren’t harping on that aspect of Notre Dame’s season – what kind of person is Charlie Weis that he’s driving kids away from Notre Dame?
November 30th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
This post isnt complete until IrishMafia responds to Magglio’s comment.
let’s go mafia, pick it up !
November 30th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
gonzo: he called himself an ass in post # 14, i cant top someone callng themsleves an asshole
November 30th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
they werent going to get playing time, and even after they kept losing he kept getting more recruits for next year and has the number one recruiting class.
i get what youre saying, but i still consider nd and bama top programs, at least they are still pulling in top coaches. as opposed to say, nebraska
November 30th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I might be wrong, but aren’t the Redskins the most valuable franchise in the NFL according to the latest Forbes or Fortune estimate?
December 1st, 2007 at 1:31 am
TBL…How can you let someone who reads Forbes or Fortune post on your website? Tool.
When was the last time the Redskins were a contender….ummmmmm yeah.
December 1st, 2007 at 9:10 am
Well at least PSU is only paying about 100K per decent win, Bama is putting out 1 Mil per decent win.
But seriously, if this is all he is being paid, think how little the assistants make. No wonder all of the assistants are former crappy players (or incompetent son) who have no business coaching.