AfriPulse
DeShaun Foster signed a five-year, $15 million contract with UCLA in February 2024. He took $3 million in his first year, which has increased by $100k annually and will total $3.4 million in 2028. Overall, UCLA’s football coach came at a steep discount for the university. It was roughly half of Chip Kelly’s deal before he departed from Westwood.
After starting the season winless at 0-3, including a 35-10 loss to New Mexico on Friday night, many are speculating whether Foster will be in the long-term plans for the Bruins. Here’s a look at the contract for the former NFL star.
DeShaun Foster terms Foster will receive $100,000 raises each year, according to a copy of the contract via UCLA.
$3.1 million for 2025
$3.2 million for 2026
$3.3 million for 2027
$3.4 million for 2028
DeShaun Foster buyout The contract features a relatively affordable buyout structure. If Foster is fired, UCLA owes him 70% of the remaining salary before December 1st of a given year, and 60% after that date.
Foster’s buyout comes with a declining percentage of his remaining salary over the remaining years on his contract. “For instance, if UCLA was to buy him out after the end of his second season on Dec. 2, 2025, it would owe 60% of his remaining salary in Year 3 and 50% of his remaining salary in Years 4 and 5 — a total of roughly $5.27 million. That buyout figure would drop to $3.35 million if the Bruins were to buy out Foster on Dec. 2, 2026, after the end of his third season,” according to the LA Times.
If Foster were to leave UCLA, he would owe:
$7 million before Dec. 31, 2025
$5 million before Dec. 31, 2026
$2.5 million before Dec. 31, 2027
$1 million before Dec. 31, 2028
DeShaun Foster bonuses The deal also included hiring bonus, retention, and performance incentives. Foster also received a $250,000 signing bonus last year, and will receive another $500,000, if he’s employed by UCLA on March 15, 2026, and again on March 15, 2028
$50,000 for an AP Top 25 final ranking
$100,000 for a top-five finish
$50,000 Big Ten Coach of the Year and
$100,000 National Coach of the Year by the AP or American Football Coaches Association
$50,000 for six wins
$50,000 for seven wins
$100,000 for eight wins
$100,000 for nine wins
$100,000 for ten wins
Foster would make $100,000 if UCLA qualified for the Big Ten championship game and another $100,000 if the Bruins won it
$100,000 for a bowl game appearance + $50,000 if the Bruins won the game
$200,000 to make the College Football Playoff. An additional $150,000 for each victory in the CFP
$200,000 for a national championship win
Foster is the 58th highest-paid coach in college football, according to data from USA TODAY Sports. He’s also last among Big Ten coaches.
MOR
Source: Sporting News | Read the Full Story…
