Contract details for Brad Brownell’s newest raise, extension with Clemson
Brad Brownell’s new contract is official.
Clemson’s longtime men’s basketball coach got a raise and extension Friday after leading the Tigers to a school-record 27 wins and 18 ACC victories this season ... and after his name surfaced a candidate for a high-profile coaching job elsewhere.
The Clemson University Board of Trustees compensation committee unanimously approved a six-year, $27.5 million contract through 2031 for Brownell during its spring quarterly meeting on Friday. He’d previously been signed through 2029.
Under the new deal, Brownell’s annual salary will rise from $3.75 million to $4 million for the 2025-26 season (a roughly 7% raise). His salary will increase by $250,000 annually for each of the next four years, topping out at $5 million in 2029-30. In 2030-31, he won’t get an increase and his salary will stay at $5 million.
Brownell’s contract also includes an interesting new clause: He has the option of stepping down as head coach and becoming a special assistant to the athletic director (at an annual salary of $250,000) for the remainder of his contract.
Brownell must exercise that option by April 15 of any given year. His role as special assistant to the AD would include “assisting Clemson University (including IPTAY) with fundraising and revenue generating opportunities” while also assisting Clemson AD Graham Neff as an advisor, per a contract term sheet.
“I remain honored and grateful to have led this program for 15 years and for the opportunity to continue to coach and develop young people in both basketball and life at Clemson,” Brownell said in a news release.
Clemson athletic Graham Neff told reporters Friday that he “couldn’t be more proud and excited” of the direction of the men’s basketball program and Brownell is an ideal coach to tackle the changing landscape of modern era of college basketball.
“With the House case, revenue sharing, the NIL collective era and the transfer portal, the importance of roster construction and player evaluation and development have never been more important,” Neff said. “And I think that’s where Brad excels.”
Brownell, 56, is entering his 16th season as Clemson’s coach. He is the school’s all-time leader in total wins (292) and NCAA Tournament wins (six) and is responsible for one of only two Elite Eight appearances in school history, plus two Sweet 16s. He signed his most recent contract last summer, following that Elite Eight run.
After the retirements of Virginia’s Tony Bennett, Miami’s Jim Larrañaga and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton at various points this season, Brownell also enters next season as the longest-tenured coach in the ACC among the conference’s 18 teams.
At $3.5 million, Brownell ranked No. 37 nationally among Division I head coaches in total salary last year, per a USA Today Sports database. His new deal should put him among the top 25 highest paid coaches in the country and in the top half of the ACC.
During Friday’s meeting, slight raises and contract extensions through 2027 were approved for basketball assistant coaches Billy Donlon, Dick Bender and Sean Dixon.
Donlon’s salary rose from $500,000 to $530,000, Dixon’s salary rose from $350,000 to $375,000 and Bender’s salary rose from $300,000 to $320,000.
Clemson athletic Graham Neff told reporters Friday that he “couldn’t be more proud and excited” of the direction of the men’s basketball program and Brownell is an ideal coach for the modern era of college basketball.
Brad Brownell and Indiana
Clemson was 27-7 (18-2 ACC) this year and ranked as high as No. 10 nationally. The Tigers’ season ended in disappointing fashion, though, as they were upset by No. 12 McNeese State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed.
Still, Clemson won 20-plus games in three consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-10 and has now made back-to-back March Madness appearances for the first time in Brownell’s tenure. The Tigers are 73-30 (.708) since the 2022-23 season.
That success drew the attention of Indiana, which reportedly reached out to Brownell (an Indiana native) to gauge his interest of becoming their next coach.
Although it’s unclear if Indiana ever formally offered Brownell its job or he turned them down, he was reportedly in the mix and high on IU’s list with names such West Virginia’s Darian DeVries (who ultimately got the job) and Drake’s Ben McCollum.
News broke March 19, ahead of Clemson’s opening NCAA Tournament, that Clemson and Brownell were finalizing his second contract extension in as many years.
Neff said it was Brownell’s idea, and “one of the most important components” of his contract, to work in a clause allowing him to step down from his head coaching role and into a special assistant role for the athletic department if he chooses.
“That speaks to his connectivity here and his willingness and wanting to be here, even in a different type of role at a different part of his career,” Neff said. “That’s something other schools couldn’t have provided.”
Brad Brownell new contract details
Here are more details from Brownell’s contract, obtained by The State:
Total salary by year
- 2025-26: $4 million
- 2026-27: $4.25 million
- 2027-28: $4.5 million
- 2028-29: $4.75 million
- 2029-30: $5 million
- 2030-31: $5 million
University buyout
If Clemson fires Brownell without cause, the university will owe Brownell 50% of his remaining total salary, plus an additional $12,500 per full month remaining, at any point within the length of the contract (May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2031).
Employee buyout
If Brownell leaves Clemson to accept another college head coaching job, he and/or his next employer must pay Clemson 25% of his remaining total salary, plus an additional $6,250 per month, for the remainder of the contract.
Brownell’s contract also notes that “Employee shall notify Director of Athletics prior to discussions by Employee or his agents for other employment.”
That’s a standard line included in Clemson’s coaching contracts.
ACC Tournament performance incentives
- Earn No. 1 seed in ACC Tournament: $300,000
- Earn No. 2 seed in ACC Tournament: $250,000
- Earn No. 3 seed in ACC Tournament: $200,000
- Earn No. 4 seed in ACC Tournament: $150,000
- ACC Tournament championship: $200,000
NCAA Tournament performance incentives
- NCAA Tournament appearance: $100,000
- Each win in NCAA Tournament First Four/first/second rounds: $50,000 apiece
- Each win in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16/Elite Eight game: $75,000 apiece
- Final Four win: $100,000
- National championship: $300,00
Other performance incentives
- NIT championship: $15,000
- AP or USBWA ACC Coach of the Year award: $25,000
- AP or USBWA national coach of the year award: $50,000
- Single-year academic progress rate ≥ 950: $25,000
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 9:30 AM.
