Zach Kittley
Head Football Coach • Florida Atlantic (Owls)
School Owes Coach: $5,083,333
Contract buyout as tracked by USA Today Sports: $5,083,333. (Figures based on Term Sheet signed in December 2024, rather than full-form contract. School Pay includes $50,000 one-time signing bonus. School Buyout figure based on provision in Term Sheet that says if the University terminates without cause, it may, at 'its sole and absolute discretion,' reassign Kittley to another position within the University and continue providing his base pay at the time of the reassignment for the remainder of the contract term or until Kittley terminates employment with the University, whichever occurs first. If Kittley chooses to separate from the University after a reassignment, he will be paid a lump-sum severance amount equal to the lesser of 20 weeks of annual salary or the remainder of the term of the agreement.)
Coach / Hiring School Owes: $1,500,000
If Zach Kittley accepts a position as head coach with another collegiate program or an NFL franchise prior to 2030-12-31, he or his new employer is legally bound to pay this liquidated departure penalty.
Job Stability vs. The Hot Seat
Pending Fan Consensus
Contract Job Stability is rated Vulnerable Stability. Awaiting 5 more community vote(s) to officially establish the Hot Seat alignment.
Modest buyout relative to athletic revenues; university holds substantial financial leverage.
Hot Seat score requires at least 5 votes to show, only 0 votes cast so far.
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Interactive Amortization Simulator for Zach Kittley
Simulate Termination Date & Buyout Cost
See how contract amortization, date milestones, and mitigation clauses reduce buyout liability over time.
Duty to Mitigate (New Job Offset Analysis)
Contract Calculation Formula:
USA Today FOIA benchmark: $5,083,333. Data aligned with October 2025 authoritative baseline.
💡 By waiting 6 months, natural salary amortization reduces buyout liability by ~$446K.
- •Multi-year term through December 2030
- •Significant buyout protection for coach departure
- •Structured annual salary increments
- •Performance-based bonus eligibility
Data aligned with October 2025 authoritative baseline.
Verified Public & News Reference Sources (1):
FOIA Verified: As an arm of state government, Florida Atlantic releases employment agreements and board-approved amendments under public records legislation.