Clemson has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success under head coach Dabo Swinney, but the head coach of the defending ACC champions is taking money out of his own pocket to ensure this is just the beginning for the program. Swinney and his wife, Kathleen, have pledged to donate $1 million to Clemson’s IPTAY program, which is aimed at supporting the development of sports programs on Clemson’s campus.
“I love Clemson, and I believe in our program, and I feel like Clemson has been pulling for me since that first game in 2008,” Swinney said. “But no matter how much we win on the field, my passion is building and empowering successful young men through the game of football. Kathleen and I are blessed. And we have always known we need to use those blessings to do good for others. It’s so important to us that we give back to this program that has been so good to us.”
According to the 2015 USA Today database of coaching salaries, Swinney was paid $3,305,200 in total pay last season before receiving bonus incentives for winning the ACC and reaching the College Football Playoff championship game. That made Swinney the 26th highest-paid coach in the sport and second highest-paid in the ACC behind Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher. Swinney’s max bonus last season was $1,125,000 according to the coaching salary database.
The Swinneys have donated to the program in the past, but this is the most sizable donation yet from the head coach and his wife. So far, the Swinneys have accounted for over $2 million in donations for various programs at Clemson.