Michigan State University (MSU) has just sealed a 10-year deal with football coach Mel Tucker. At $9.5 million a year, the contract is unprecedented for Black coaches in any sport, college or professional. The deal makes Tucker the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten Conference. Tucker extends his two-year run with the Spartans and takes him off the market for other potential college and NFL coaching slots.
As Tucker mentioned in an appearance on The Draymond Green Show, “I always made it clear that I thought Michigan State was a destination job, not a stepping stone. I have Big Ten roots. Played at Wisconsin. I’m from Cleveland, Ohio. This is where I started my career as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban. Michigan State is a special place for me.” He added, “I believe that we’re building something special here, and I have tremendous support here, and we’re on the right track.”
As Black Enterprise reports, Tucker’s contract with MSU leads all-Black professional coaches, including Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers ($8 million per year), Doc Rivers, head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers ($8 million per year), and David Shaw, head coach of the Stanford Cardinal football team ($8.9 million per year).
The Associated Press just named Tucker Big Ten Coach of the Year.
This week, Tucker was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). In just his second year in East Lansing, Tucker has led MSU to a 10-2 record and a berth in the New Year’s Six with a matchup against No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 in Atlanta.
