What Kyle Whittingham’s latest contract says about the Utah football coach’s retirement plans

Kyle Whittingham is busy getting ready for his 21st season.

After leading the Utes to a 5-7 campaign last season, the Utah head coach’s worst season since 2013, rumors of his potential retirement swirled.

Whittingham shut those rumors down with a simple statement.

“We’re back,” the coach announced on Dec. 8.

There were multiple reasons for Whittingham to make his announcement around that time. With the transfer portal opening and signing day approaching, it would be important to let players know the coach’s plans.

But Whittingham also now has an annual deadline to let the U. know whether he intends to keep coaching — and a financial incentive for hitting that deadline.

New contract amendment

On the same day Whittingham made his decision to return for the 2025 season public, the Ute coach also signed an amendment to his contract.

Before that, Whittingham’s contract outlined a five-year role as a special assistant to the university’s athletics director. The position would pay the longtime coach $995,000 per year.

Under the new deal, Whittingham will be paid $3.45 million annually for a two-year term as special assistant.

Whittingham would be obligated to provide consulting advice, attend speaking engagements, fundraising events, and meetings with donors and other prospective donors, according to the contract.

The new amendment also increased the amount Whittingham would receive if he were fired without cause from $3 million for each year left on his deal to $4 million.

In return, Whittingham now has a deadline to inform the university about his retirement plans.

If the Utes are in the Big 12 Championship game, the 65-year-old coach will have to provide a written notification to the university on his retirement decision by Dec. 12, 2025.

If Utah isn’t competing in the conference championship game, Whittingham will have to make a decision by Dec. 8, 2025.

If the coach doesn’t meet the decision deadline, the changes in his contract would revert to their original language.

Incentives for the 2025 season

Utah’s head coach is set to receive a base salary of $5.4 million this season, with an added $500,000 bonus from the university’s Under Armour agreement and another $1 million from Utah’s multi-media rights sponsor, JMI Sports.

That means Whittingham’s fully guaranteed 2025 salary will be $6.9 million this season.

The coach will have the chance for incentive-based compensation, too.

According to the language provided in his new contract, Whittingham would earn a $100,000 bonus if the Utes partake in the Big 12 Championship game in the fall.

If Utah participates in a non-College Football Playoff bowl game, Whittingham would earn $150,000 and another $100,000 for a non-CFP bowl game win.

Utah’s head coach would earn one of the following bonuses for getting the Utes to the 12-team College Football Playoff and advancing through each of its rounds:

Other incentives in Whittingham’s deal include a max $75,000 bonus if Utah’s NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) is at least 980. He’ll receive the same max bonus amount of $75,000 if the Utes achieve at least an 80% graduation success rate at the end of the year.

The Ute head coach would also be entitled to a $150,000 bonus if Utah is in the final year-end AP Top 25 poll. He could also earn another $25,000 if the team is ranked inside the top 25 of the CFP rankings and $15,000 if the team is listed in the Top 25 of the AP Poll or the Coaches Poll at any point of the season.

Whittingham could also earn a $250,000 bonus for winning the National Coach of the Year award. He’d also be entitled to a $100,000 bonus if named as the Big 12 Coach of the Year or co-coach of the year.

The final bonuses listed in Whittingham’s contract include a “budget bonus,” which would allow the Ute coach to earn $25,000 if costs for the football program are under budget for the year by $50,000. Whittingham would earn an additional $5,000 bonus for each additional $50,000 increment that the Football Program costs are under budget.

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