When Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray was drafted ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics, he was projected to earn a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $4.7 million. That was great for him but t wasn't so much for his coach, Lincoln Riley, who earned $3.1 million in base pay in his first season leading the Sooners. But, as it so often does, the earning power has shifted once again back in favor of Riley.
As part of a Board of Regents meeting Tuesday, new contracts were approved for the OU coaching staff. You can see the entire breakdown here, but the focal point is Riley's new deal, which is worth $25 million and runs through 2023. It includes an immediate raise of $1 million -- he was set to make $3.8 million this year -- which will put him at $4.8 million. Annual increases of $100,000 over the next five years will make his average salary $5 million.
And, for the record, Murray signed his contract with the A's last week with a reported $4.6 million bonus. So, yes, Riley is once again set to make more than his quarterback. As you were.