It was about 57 weeks ago that P.J. Fleck signed a seven-year contract extension that pushed his deal with the Minnesota Gophers to 2028. On Wednesday, the University of Minnesota announced a fresh, seven-year contract for Fleck.
The new deal keeps him under contract through 2029. According to reports, he’s getting a $1 million annual raise, boosting his salary from $5 million to $6 million per season.
What’s unknown and, per The Athletic, will remain unknown until his contract is fully approved by the Board of Regents on Thursday, is what the buyout clause is. His previous deal included a reported buyout of $10 million, though that number was scheduled to drop to $7 million on Jan. 1, 2023.
A $7 million buyout is chump change for big-time programs looking to hire a new coach. Whatever it is, the extension is a signal that Fleck isn’t planning on leaving.
“This is all about cultural sustainability,” said Fleck in a statement. “We have talked about that from day one, and this new contract is a commitment to continuing to change our best academically, athletically, socially and spiritually. It is also a commitment to our elite staff and our tremendous fans.
“During the last six years, we have been able to do some amazing things at Minnesota, some of which have not been accomplished in more than 115 years. It is a tremendous honor to lead this football program, and our goal is to compete for championships every year. We are so grateful to the Board of Regents, President Joan Gabel, Mark Coyle and our staff for allowing us to do so. Heather and I and our family love living here and we are excited to continue on this journey with the entire state of Minnesota.”
The Gophers are set to face Syracuse in the Dec. 29 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
