Dabo Swinney Jokes 'I May Get Fired Today' in Video After Clemson's Loss to Duke

Dabo Swinney expressed some uncertainty about his future with Clemson when joking about athletic director Graham Neff's presence at a press conference following Duke's 46-45 Saturday upset of Clemson.

The Tigers are now 3-5 in a 2025 season Swinney said has been one of the most "incredibly disappointing" of his 18 years with the program.

"I mean, '10 was brutal... lost at home here, to South Carolina. Through I was getting fired. Right here, in this room, actually," Swinney said Saturday.

Swinney added, "May get fired today. Graham's sitting in the back, back there. So I don't know. Can't say I'd blame him."

Fox Carolina's Carmine Gemei then asked Swinney after the press conference if he had been joking about the possibility of getting fired.

"Shoot. Hey, man, we've got to win some games," Swinney responded. "I mean, I'm just worried about trying to beat Florida State."

Clemson's defense struggled Saturday as the unit allowed 28 first-half points from the Blue Devils and were unable to stop a last-minute two-point conversion that sealed Duke's win. The Tigers are now on track to finish the season with their worst record since Swinney's least favorite season in 2010.

Swinney would receive a $60 million buyout if fired without cause, according to USA Today.

That would rank as the most expensive buyout of a college football coach so far this season, although the $53 million owed to LSU's Brian Kelly and the $49 million tied to the dismissal of Penn State's James Franklin come close.

Swinney might still be concerned Clemson would consider taking on that cost if the Tigers are unable to find a way to get back into the win column during next Saturday's home game against Florida State.