Michigan State completed a historic contract extension for head football coach Mel Tucker on Wednesday night, sources with direct knowledge of the deal told The Detroit News.
The Spartans’ second-year coach signed a reported 10-year, $95 million extension that makes him the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten and the second-highest paid coach in the country behind Alabama's Nick Saban, a former MSU coach who makes $9.753 million.
"Every day I wake up feeling humbled to be the Head Football Coach at Michigan State," Tucker said in a statement provided to The Detroit News. "It is my privilege to work alongside our student-athletes, coaches and staff who embody our culture of hard work, discipline, and excellence — on and off the field.
"Thank you to our Board of Trustees, President Stanley and our administration, Alan Haller and the athletics staff, our incredible donors and fans — and of course Coach Izzo for the support and resources you provide MSU to build Spartan football — we could not do it without you.
"The mentorship and friendship of Mat Ishbia, Steve St. Andre, Brian Mosallam and Jason Strayhorn — particularly during this process — has been invaluable to me. It is a process to build a championship-winning program. A process that drives us to be better. A process that demands relentless soul and grit. And a process that requires support from Spartans across the globe.
"I am honored to be a part of the Spartan process today, and for years to come."
The new contract will make Tucker, 49, the highest-paid Black head coach in American sports, surpassing Stanford's David Shaw, who is making just more than $8.9 million per year. Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the highest-paid Black coach in the NFL at $8 million a year, while Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers earns the same in the NBA.
Providence's Ed Cooley was the highest-paid Black head coach in college basketball at $3.4 million in 2020-21, according to a USA TODAY salary database.
Tucker, who was a head coach one season at Colorado in 2019, was 2-5 in his first season at Michigan State in 2020 but has flipped things quickly in 2021 as Michigan State (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) is the No. 12 team in the country and is preparing to face Penn State on Saturday.
Private funding is responsible for the bulk of the contract with United Wholesale Mortgage president and CEO Ishbia at the forefront of the push to secure a new contract for Tucker, along with longtime donor and CEO of Shift Digital St. Andre.
