The former SEC head coach to Las Vegas pipeline continues after the UNLV Rebels hired Dan Mullen to replace the outgoing Barry Odom as their head coach from the 2025 season. The former Florida Gators great-turned-broadcaster will be charged with helping the program take the next step after a terrific season.
Mullen’s salary, contract, and net worth showcase the financial sacrifice made by UNLV to land a big fish as their head coach.
Dan Mullen’s Salary and Contract in 2025
Mullen was officially unveiled as the UNLV head coach on Dec. 12, 2024, signing a five-year deal to lead the Rebels through a new era of college football. Under the terms of that deal, Mullen’s salary will be $3.5 million for the 2025 college football season, although that simplifies the makeup of his earning potential.
Like most college football head coach contracts, Mullen’s salary will consist of two parts. The first is a $400,000 base salary paid annually through December 2029. The second is a $3.1 million annual payment for “Media and Public Appearances,” which include at least 15 radio, 15 television, and 15 public/donor appearances throughout the fiscal year.
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On top of his $3.5 million salary, Mullen will be rewarded for his loyalty to the UNLV football program. If the new Rebels head coach is still in post on Jan. 15, 2027, he will receive a one-off payment of $100,000. The following year that one-off payment doubles to $200,000, and he can secure another $200,000 if he is still with the program on Jan. 15, 2029.
Mullen’s contract and salary make him the highest-paid coach in Nevada sport’s history. Meanwhile, the new UNLV leader overtakes Colorado State Rams head coach Jay Norvell as the highest-paid coach in the Mountain West. If there was any doubt about how serious the Rebels are about their football program, the numbers involved here dispel all questions.
“We are ecstatic to announce the hiring of Dan Mullen, who is both an innovator and nationally respected leader in the sport of football,” Director of Athletics Erick Harper told assembled media on unveiling Mullen. “The momentum of UNLV football continues to skyrocket with Coach Mullen coming aboard and is even more proof that our university is serious about success.”
“Rebel Nation came alive while watching this program reach new heights the last two seasons and we are excited to keep it moving forward under the leadership of someone of the caliber of Dan Mullen.”
Mullen arrives in Las Vegas after working for ESPN the previous three seasons. While he was fired from Florida after a disappointing 2021 season, he brings a 103-61 overall record from a 13-year head coaching career, including Peach Bowl and Orange Bowl wins with the Gators and a 10-win campaign with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2014.
If his tenure in Las Vegas leads to Power Four or NFL opportunities, Mullen’s contract has buyouts that start at $7 million, decreasing each year thereafter. Leaving for a non-power conference position has a buyout starting at $5 million. If the Mullen experiment is deemed a failure, he would receive 80% of his remaining contract value.
Mullen’s Net Worth
Based on his five-year contract, base salary, media appearance compensation, and annual retention bonus, Mullen’s net worth as the UNLV head coach is at least $18 million. However, that doesn’t include the previous salaries earned at Mississippi State and Florida or the $12 million buyout he received from the Gators following his dismissal in November 2021.
It also doesn’t include a $35,000 employment bonus received almost immediately after signing with the Rebels or any athletic or academic performance-related bonuses that Mullen can earn under the terms of his UNLV contract. The list of supplemental compensation available for such performance is listed below:
- Coaching in the Conference Championship Game: $25,000
- Winning the Conference Championship Game: $50,000
- Winning the Conference Coach of the Year (or co-award): $25,000
- Winning the College Football National Coach of the Year Award (as issued by a nationally recognized poll or association): $100,000
- Participation (or first-round bye) in each College Football Playoff game: $100,000
- Winning the College Football Playoff National Championship Game: $100,000
- Coaching in any non-College Football Playoff bowl game: $75,000
- Ranking in the ESPN, AP, or Coaches Poll Top 25: $35,000
- Team achieving an APR of 980 or greater: $10,000
- Team achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and above: $10,000
It’s worth noting that if the UNLV football team doesn’t have an Academic Performance Rate (APR) of 930 or above in the academic year, Mullen will not be eligible to receive any of the above-listed bonuses regardless of athletic performance. UNLV’s APR has been over 970 in each of the last two years.
Finally, Mullen’s contract stipulates that the UNLV head coach shall have the use of an automobile, a $20,000 hosting allowance, and membership privileges at a local golf or country club throughout his tenure while also receiving tickets for multiple sports events involving Rebels athletic teams.
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