Texas Gives Mack Brown Massive Contract Extension Through 2020

Brown is already the nation’s highest paid coach, earning about $5.2 million per year. He had a $100,000 per year raise built into his contract. He can also earn a potential $850,000 per year in bonuses. He was signed through 2016. What is the reasoning behind the extension?

Was Brown a risk to leave the nation’s cushiest college football job to join the Buccaneers? Was this a token of recognition for his great work with the Longhorn Network? Maybe it was a move to stave off the retirement rumors? The trouble with that is he’s 60! You can sign him through 2030, dye his hair and put him on a treadmill. That’s not going to stop the rumors about him hanging up his burnt orange shirts.

Texas’ plight is overstated. Whiffing on a five-star quarterback is bad fortune. Brown waited a bit too long to shake up his coaching staff. They could be back, next season. That said, a Texas coach getting a massive contract extension after getting boatraced by Oklahoma, losing to Baylor by 24, failing to beat a ranked team and being a couple plays away from missing a bowl game for the second-straight year is just bizarre.

[Photo via Getty]