UNLV pays new football coach Dan Mullen $3.5 million per year on $17.5 million deal

Dan Mullen is the highest paid coach in Nevada state history by a wide margin.

UNLV will pay its new football coach $3.5 million per season for five seasons, making this a $17.5 million deal, though he will make a minimum of $18.1 million if he reaches the deal. Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who accepted the head job at Purdue last week. Odom was paid $1.75 million last season, his second with the Rebels. Odom was previously the highest-paid coach in state history in any sport. Mullen will also become the MW’s highest-paid head coach, surpassing Colorado State’s Jay Norvell, who earned $1.8 million this season. Mullen will earn more than double that figure.

By comparison, Nevada head coach Jeff Choate, his 10 full-time assistants and his head strength coach made a combined $3,168,692 in 2024, so UNLV will pay its head coach more than Nevada’s top-12 football staff combined next season. Choate will make $1.1 million in 2025, the second year of his five-year deal signed last December.

Mullen is eligible for bonuses based on team performance, GPA and retention. He would owe UNLV a $7 million buyout if he left the Rebels before Dec. 1, 2025 for a Power 4/NFL head coaching job. That would drop by $1 million a year. The buyout starts at $5 million before Dec. 1, 2025 for a non-Power 4 head job and declines by $1 million per year. UNLV owes Mullen 80 percent of his remaining salary if it fires him before the Dec. 31, 2029, contract.

Mullen also received a $35,000 signing bonus and is in line for $100,000 retention bonuses on January 15, 2027; $200,000 on January 15, 2028; and $300,000 on January 15, 2029 if they are still employed by UNLV on those dates. Mullen would get a bonus of $25,000 for leading UNLV to the conference championship, $50,000 for winning that game and $100,000 for a College Football Playoff appearance. His bonus for winning the national championship is $100,000.

Mullen’s contract was obtained by our sister station, KSNV in Las Vegas, via a public records request through UNLV.

The 52-year-old Mullen brings a high-profile resume that includes 13 seasons as an SEC head coach at Mississippi State and Florida, guiding those schools to 11 straight bowl games and four New Year’s Six Bowl appearances. He went 103-61 overall and 54-53 in the SEC in those 13 seasons. Mullen was also Florida’s offensive coordinator for two national championships from 2005-08, helping Tim Tebow win the Heisman Trophy under his guidance. Mullen most recently worked as a broadcaster for ESPN.

UNLV went 10-3 this season for its first double-digit win campaign since 1984. That included a third straight victory over rival Nevada before falling to Boise State in the Mountain West championship game for the second straight season. The Rebels will play in the LA Bowl against Cal on Dec. 18 at SoFi Stadium.

You can see Mullen’s full contract below.