Washington coach Chris Petersen will earn $4 million in each of the last two years of his new deal.
Washington coach Chris Petersen has been given a two-year contract extension through the 2020 season, UW announced Thursday morning, a day before the Apple Cup.
Petersen originally agreed to a five-year contract worth $18 million with UW in December 2013, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Pac-12. He was scheduled to earn $3.4 million this year, plus potential bonuses, and as part of the new deal will earn $4 million annually in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Contracts for all nine of UW’s assistant coaches expire at the end of January. A UW spokesman said Thursday that new contracts have not been worked out with the assistants.
A copy of Petersen’s new contract was not immediately available, the spokesman said.
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“Coach Petersen has demonstrated tremendous integrity and is building a program that Husky fans can be proud of, both on and off the field,” UW athletic director Scott Woodward said in a news release. “This extension is well-deserved and we hope Coach Petersen is a Husky for a long time to come.”
Petersen, after eight seasons at Boise State, is 13-12 in his second season at UW, including a 5-6 record this season entering Friday’s Apple Cup at Husky Stadium.
Under the terms of his original contract with UW, Petersen can earn bonuses for, among other things, bowl-game appearances and the team’s Academic Progress Rate. A victory over Washington State would ensure the Huskies are bowl eligible and make Petersen eligible for a $75,000 bonus for a non-College Football Playoff bowl appearance.
He can earn up to $125,000 in bonuses for the team’s APR performance. UW also pays $500,000 in life-insurance premiums each year for Petersen, which appears to be part of the supplemental compensation that makes up his overall annual salary. He is also provided a country-club membership and two courtesy cars.
Petersen’s original UW contract includes a $2.5 million buyout in the second and third years of the deal and a $1.5 million buyout in the fourth year, should he accept another coaching position. There is no buyout for the fifth year of the original deal, and it’s unclear if the contract extension includes a buyout.