How much does Matt Campbell make? Exploring Iowa State Cyclones coach's annual salary and earnings
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell has had his highs and lows as the head of the Cyclones football program, but since his appointment eight years ago, he has become a veritable legend at Iowa State.
Campbell was hired after a good stint as the University of Toledo offensive coordinator and head coach, scoring several upsets over big names in the FBS.
In 2017, he signed a six-year contract extension with Iowa State worth $22.5 million, ending after the 2023 season.
That contract was improved upon in 2021 after a sensational run where Matt Campbell was named Big 12 Coach of the Year twice for sensational seasons when he led the Cyclones to first place in the conference in 2020.
In February 2021, Campbell's contract was extended to 2028 with an annual base salary of $4 million, up from his previous $3.5 million a year.
There has been speculation that in 2021, he was offered a $68.5 million, eight-year deal by the NFL team, the Detroit Lions, which he declined.
According to USA Today, Campbell would be free to walk away from the Cyclones job without paying anything if the university raised athletic admission standards above the required minimum by the NCAA.
“If the university does increase its academic admissibility and/or eligibility standards above those required by the NCAA, Campbell’s liquidated damages, under Paragraph VI (2) (b) shall be reduced to Zero Dollars ($0),” a contract clause states.
Matt Campbell's challenging year
Matt Campbell has had to deal with his first-choice quarterback, Hunter Dekkers, being out due to being charged with underage gambling offenses, which impacted both Iowa and Iowa State.
After the highs of the past few seasons, including a Fiesta Bowl win and a Big 12 championship game appearance, last season brought a chastening 4-8 overall and 1-8 Big 12 record for the Cyclones.
Matt Campbell's Iowa State Cyclones lost the Cy-Hawks series 20-13 against the Iowa Hawkeyes with former President Donald Trump in attendance. Still, instead of being disheartened by the narrow loss, the coach saw encouraging signs.
Campbell commented on the loss by his Cyclones team after the game.
“We were just efficient,” Campbell said. “I think when you look back on a couple of those drives … you’re a hair off. It’s either a decision there or a drop here. Man, I didn’t feel like it was a lack of execution. There are some things we have got to clean up. We’ve got to keep moving forward.”
Although the Cyclones have not had the best seasons lately, Matt Campbell will be looking to return them to the heights of seasons past.