Report: Reduced buyout for Bill O’Brien could open door to NFL job

Penn State coach Bill O’Brien had his contract revised last summer, with the buyout clause reduced to make it easier for him to take an NFL job in the future, ESPN reported on Sunday.

The restated contract shows O’Brien changed the formula for his buyout and reduced the price of an NFL buyout from $19.33 million last year to $6.48 million for this year, per the contract, whereas the buyout another school would have to pay Penn State for O’Brien is $11.08 million.

According to the report, O’Brien recently asked Penn State to reduce the buyout even further.

This latest news should serve to heighten the buzz around O’Brien’s coaching future. With the NFL season drawing to a close, teams should soon come a-calling. Among the teams rumored to have interest are the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings.

O’Brien has done a fine job in his two seasons in Happy Valley, going 8-4 last season and 7-5 despite dealing with NCAA sanctions and the upheaval that arose out of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Will he leave Penn State? He appears to be torn over it, but reducing the buyout on his contract is a clear indicator that he might be ready for a move.