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MI
SEC🛡️ Moderate Stability (3/5)

Jeff Lebby

Head Football Coach Mississippi State (Bulldogs)

Current Buyout Owed (Today)
$11,006,250
15 months remaining (471 days)
Annual Salary
$4,350,000
Base + Supplemental Talent
Contract Expires
2027-12-31
Hired: 2023-11-26
Coach Leaves Buyout
$2,000,000
Owed if leaving for NFL / Rival
Daily Amortization
$10,123
Buyout drops each day
University Firing Coach (Without Cause)

School Owes Coach: $11,006,250

Contract buyout as tracked by USA Today Sports: $11,006,250. (School Pay includes $3,550,000 from the Bulldog Club, Inc., a private non-profit organization that has its own contract with Lebby. That contract is set to expire on Jan. 31, 2029, one year after the scheduled end of Lebby's contract with the university. School Buyout amount reflects combination of terms in university and Bulldog Club contracts.)

Payment Structure:Annual Installments
Duty to Mitigate (Offsets):No (Guaranteed regardless of new job)
Total Remaining Unearned Salary:$5,609,446
Coach Departs Voluntarily (Poaching Clause)

Coach / Hiring School Owes: $2,000,000

If Jeff Lebby accepts a position as head coach with another collegiate program or an NFL franchise prior to 2027-12-31, he or his new employer is legally bound to pay this liquidated departure penalty.

Departure Fee:$2,000,000
School Retention Leverage:Standard College Buyout
Coaching Stance & Contractual Security

Job Stability vs. The Hot Seat

How Our Two-Axis Model Works
0/5 Votes

Pending Fan Consensus

Tension Rating: Stability (3/5) • Hot Seat (Pending)

Contract Job Stability is rated Moderate Stability. Awaiting 5 more community vote(s) to officially establish the Hot Seat alignment.

Contract Job Stability
Level 3 / 5
Moderate Stability
Standard Contract Terms$11,006,250 Buyout Firewall

Standard Power Four buyout structure; financially painful but manageable with coordinated athletic department support.

Contract Safeguard: Contract buyout as tracked by USA Today Sports: $11,006,250. (School Pay includes $3,550,000 from the Bulldog Club, Inc., a private non-profit organization that has its own contract with Lebby. That contract is set to expire on Jan. 31, 2029, one year after the scheduled end of Lebby's contract with the university. School Buyout amount reflects combination of terms in university and Bulldog Club contracts.)
Mitigation Duty: None (fully guaranteed sum)
The Hot Seat (Community Consensus)
Consensus Building
Consensus Building0 / 5 Votes

Hot Seat score requires at least 5 votes to show, only 0 votes cast so far.

5 more votes needed to unlock public heat score. Cast your vote below!

Interactive Amortization Simulator for Jeff Lebby

Interactive Financial Modeler

Simulate Termination Date & Buyout Cost

See how contract amortization, date milestones, and mitigation clauses reduce buyout liability over time.

MI
Jeff LebbyWarming Up
Mississippi StateSEC • Contract thru 2027-12-31
Annual Salary
$4,350,000
Current Buyout (Today)
$11,006,250
Selected Date: 2026-09-16 (471 days remaining on contract)
Or pick any exact date:
Buyout Owed on 2026-09-16
$11,006,250
Official USA Today Verified Buyout
Savings by Delaying to This Date
$0
Natural amortization saves $10,123 / day
If Coach Leaves Voluntarily
$2,000,000
Amount coach / hiring team owes Mississippi State

Duty to Mitigate (New Job Offset Analysis)

No Mitigation Required (Full Guarantee)
Important: Jeff Lebby's contract does not mandate an affirmative duty to mitigate. Even if he takes another job paying millions tomorrow, Mississippi State is legally obligated to continue paying the full buyout amount with zero offset!

Contract Calculation Formula:

USA Today FOIA benchmark: $11,006,250. Data aligned with October 2025 authoritative baseline.

💡 By waiting 6 months, natural salary amortization reduces buyout liability by ~$1.85M.

Key Contractual Stipulations
  • Multi-year fixed salary structure
  • Significant buyout obligation for coach departure
  • Performance-based bonus eligibility

Data aligned with October 2025 authoritative baseline.

Source & Public Records Citations

Verified Public & News Reference Sources (1):

Mississippi State Head Coach Contract TermsMississippi State Athletics Official Records • 2026-09-13
View Source

FOIA Verified: As an arm of state government, Mississippi State releases employment agreements and board-approved amendments under public records legislation.