James Franklin set to receive major buyout from Penn State

Penn State entered the 2025 season with high hopes, but midway through the season this appears to be the start of a rebuild. The 2nd-ranked Nittany Lions in the AP preseason poll is now a 3-3 team searching for answers.       

And now without James Franklin, who was fired as head coach on Sunday after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern. The third straight loss for Penn State capped off his time after 12 seasons in Happy Valley. Since Franklin was ousted, this means a big pay day coming. 

Due to the terms of his buyout, Franklin will be owed $48.6 million. He was under contract through 2031 and signed a 10-year deal back in 2021. 

Franklin was making $7.5 million per year with an annual retention bonus. He also receives an annual loan of $1 million for a life insurance policy through the entirety of the contract that is included in his buyout, according to On3. Penn State doesn't have a set timeframe to pay out the buyout. This could become a month-by-month scenario until the end of contract. 

What got Franklin fired at Penn State?

This goes past the 2025 season, but there's no reason to dismiss what's happened as of late. The loss to No. 3 Oregon and how the game ended was a major red flag. However, the loss to winless UCLA was an inexcusable dagger and put Franklin on a hot seat. Northwestern was the knockout punch. 

But the lack of big game wins was ultimately the concern for Franklin. Oregon was a winnable game for Penn State and it slipped away from them. Indiana and Curt Cignetti put together a masterclass on how to beat the Ducks in a way Franklin could've only dreamed of. His record against top-10 foes at PSU dropped to 4-21. Those losses to Oregon, Ohio State and Notre Dame became a part of his legacy.   

Franklin was successful just not to the Penn State standard. He rides off with a 104-45 record and six double-digit wins seasons. The Nittany Lions hired Franklin ahead of the 2014 season after he led Vanderbilt to back-to-back bowl wins. However, the stakes were much higher and the national championship peak was never reached.  

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