Clemson's Tony Elliott joins $2 million club as highest-paid offensive coordinator for now
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Clemson assistant coach Tony Elliott joined an exclusive club on Thursday — namely, the $2 million club.
The Clemson Board of Trustees’ Compensation Committee approved a raise from $1.7 million to $2 million annually for Elliott, who has added associate head coach to his title as well as serving as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
Elliott’s deal, which will go into effect on July 1, also included a three-year contract extension, and would make him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the nation based on Paste BN Sports’ latest analysis of assistant coach compensation.
It remains unknow how much Bill O’Brien, who was named Alabama’s new offensive coordinator on Jan. 21, will make after replacing Steve Sarkisian, who left Jan. 2 to become head coach at Texas. Sarkisian was the nation’s highest-paid offensive coordinator in 2020 at $2.5 million.
Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, at $2.16 million last year, also is among a small group of assistant coaches who make more than $2 million, according to Paste BN Sports data.
Elliott, who has been a member of coach Dabo Swinney’s staff since 2011, has been rumored to be a head coaching candidate at multiple schools in recent years, but has elected to remain at Clemson — his alma mater.
Also Thursday, C.J. Spiller was formally added as a full-time assistant coach.