Report: Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher on Hot Seat; Owed $76.8M Buyout If Fired in 2023
One year after it was made clear Jimbo Fisher's status as Texas A&M head coach would be safe because of how much money it would cost the school to move on from him, the 57-year-old finds himself on the hot seat after a 1-1 start.
Per Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic, Fisher's job is "absolutely" in jeopardy if he doesn't turn things around.
Per Zac Al-Khateeb of the Austin American-Statesman, Fisher has a $76.8 million buyout in his contract if he's fired in-season during the 2023 campaign.
Fisher signed a four-year extension with Texas A&M in August 2021 that tied him to the school through the 2031 season. The deal, which was fully guaranteed, increased his average annual salary to $9 million starting on Jan. 1, 2022.
The salary increased to $9.15 million on the first day of 2023 and goes up by $100,000 in the first day of each subsequent year.
Texas A&M gave Fisher the extension after leading the team to a 9-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory over North Carolina during the 2020 season.
As the Aggies limped to a 5-7 record in 2022, there was speculation about Fisher's future with the program. He would have been owed $86 million if he had been fired last year.
In an October 2022 article by USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer and Steve Berkowitz, the only coaches with a higher buyout in their contracts were Georgia Kirby Smart ($103 million) and USC's Lincoln Riley ($100 million).
Texas A&M opened this season with a 52-10 win over New Mexico before suffering a 48-33 loss to Miami on Sept. 9.
Fisher was hired by Texas A&M in December 2017 coming off a 5-6 record the previous season at Florida State. He went 83-23 overall in eight seasons with the Seminoles, including winning the BCS Championship Game in 2013.
In six seasons with the Aggies, Fisher has a 40-22 record and won bowl games in each of his first three years. Texas A&M hasn't finished higher than second in the SEC West division during his tenure.
