After six successful seasons under Bill Clark, the UAB Blazers announced that Trent Dilfer would become their new head coach in late November 2022. We have the full details of Dilfer’s salary, contract, and net worth as he embarks on his first season as a college football head coach.
Trent Dilfer’s Salary and Contract in 2023
UAB and Dilfer agreed to terms on a five-year deal for the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback to become the Blazers’ head coach in November 2022. The initial contract keeps Dilfer in Birmingham through the 2027 college football season, while paying him a total annual salary of $1.3 million.
Unlike most CFB coaching contracts, there’s no incremental salary increase through the life of Dilfer’s contract with UAB. The new Blazers’ head coach will earn a base salary of $1.2 million in each contract year. That is bolstered by an annual talent fee of $50,000 and an annual promotion fee of $50,000.
If UAB had remained in Conference USA play for the 2023 season, Dilfer would have been one of the highest-paid coaches in that conference.
However, following the Blazers’ transition to the American Athletic Conference, he’ll actually feature toward the end of the head coach pay rankings. The money, however, doesn’t seem to be his prime motivator.
“Having the opportunity to lead such a quality program like UAB is one that I am beyond excited about,” Dilfer said in the official announcement of his hiring as the UAB head coach.
“The investments the university has made for UAB Football aligns with my vision of taking this program to new heights as we join the American Athletic Conference and compete annually for the highest prize of playing in the College Football Playoff.”
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Furthermore, Dilfer’s salary is actually substantially less per year than it could have been.
According to 1819news.com, the new UAB head coach actually opted to take a lower base salary — reportedly leaving $500,000 out of his bank account and placing it into a pool for the contracts of other staff members and assistant coaches at the program.
While UAB is Dilfer’s first head coaching role at the CFB level, the former Fresno State quarterback is no stranger to coaching success. For the past four seasons, he’s been the head coach at Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee, guiding the high school program to consecutive Division II Class AA State Championships.
In the last two seasons, Lipscomb lost just one game and went undefeated in the 2022 campaign. Additionally, Dilfer has worked as the head coach for the Elite 11 Academy, helping identify and develop the next crop of college football quarterbacks.
Dilfer’s Net Worth
Under the terms of his five-year contract with UAB, Dilfer has a net worth of $6.5 million.
However, that is purely based on his current salary and doesn’t include any earnings amassed as a 14-year NFL quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers.
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It also doesn’t take into account any money earned during a broadcast career that included stints on the NFL Network, ESPN, and Fox Sports. Additionally, it doesn’t factor in a substantial list of potential bonuses woven into Dilfer’s contract that can significantly boost his salary. Those annual potential incentives are listed below.
- If UAB wins 12 games: $200,000
- If UAB wins 11 games: $80,000
- If UAB wins 10 games: $75,000
- If UAB wins nine games: $25,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 10: $150,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 15: $100,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 25: $25,000
- If UAB reaches the first round of the College Football Playoff: $100,000
- If UAB reaches the second round of the College Football Playoff: $200,000
- If UAB appears in the College Football National Championship Game: $200,000
- If UAB wins the College Football National Championship Game: $500,000
- If UAB appears in the AAC Championship Game: $25,000
- If UAB wins the AAC Championship Game: $25,000
- If UAB wins any bowl game: $25,000
- If UAB beats any Power Five program in the regular season: $25,000
- If Dilfer is named the AAC Coach of the Year: $25,000
- If Dilfer is named the National Coach of the Year: $50,000
