Mike Gundy Gets Bump in Salary for 2018, Will Make $5 Million Annually

Well, I guess the Tennessee thing worked. Mike Gundy got a raise on Friday in the wake of his Tuesday flirtations with the Volunteers.

Mark Cooper of the Tulsa World reported that the Oklahoma State board of regents approved a raise in pay for 2018 which will make him the first $5 million coach in school history.

The Oklahoma State/A&M Board of Regents approved an addendum to Gundy’s contract on Friday, increasing his 2018 salary to $5 million.

Gundy, who made $4.2 million in 2017, was in line to make $4.325 million in 2018 under his current contract. Friday’s addendum includes an increase of $675,000 to reach the $5 million mark.

In addition, the buyout Gundy would owe Oklahoma State if he leaves before his contract expires was increased from $3 million to $5 million. [Tulsa World]

Gundy has a five-year contract in place that continually rolls over. He was supposed to incur $125,000 pay raises annually, and the $675,000 bump in addition to that is a one-time raise, according to Cooper. The $125,000 raises will continue in 2019.

So here is what Gundy’s new five-year deal will look like.

Gundy, of course, made eyes at Tennessee to the tune of $7 million a year (six years, $42 million) so this is technically a step down from that. But he also doesn’t have to deal with a lunatic fan base, a program on the decline and trying to beat Nick Saban every year.

Gundy is now one of the 15 highest paid coaches in the country, according to USA Today. These numbers are a little unfair because I took Gundy’s 2018 salary, and the rest of the salaries are 2017 salaries, but this gives you an idea of where Gundy fits in to the national hierarchy.

I did include Mullen’s new contract at Florida, but several of these coaches will get natural raised (and maybe even additional bumps like Gundy) in 2018. Still, Gundy will be paid handsomely and equivalent to the top 15-20 coaches in the nation over the next few years.