Mack Brown contract buyout: How much does UNC owe its former head coach?

North Carolina Tar Heels coach Mack Brown will receive a payout after being fired from the program. In a press release Tuesday morning, UNC announced that Brown won't return for the next season and will be looking for a new coach. Brown will receive the remaining salary from his contract, worth $5 million annually.

"Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham on Monday informed Brown, who coached UNC from 1988-97 and then returned to Chapel Hill in Nov., 2018, that he will not return as head coach," the statement read.

UNC added that the Department of Athletics will cover the remaining three years of Brown's contract.

On Tuesday, USA Today's Steve Berkowitz shared on X that Brown is owed $2.8 million in the buyout.

"Per contract, Brown is owed buyout of just over $2.8 million--base salary part of deal that had been set to run thru 1/15/28 at total of 5M annually. No specific duty to mitigate, but school gets offset if he takes coaching or admin job for any college or a pro football team," Berkowitz wrote.

In 2018, Brown signed a five-year deal worth $3.5 million annually to join the Tar Heels. He has since signed multiple contract extensions, the latest on Feb. 2, 2023, adding another year at $5 million through Jan. 15, 2028.

College Football Week 14: Mack Brown's final regular season game vs. North Carolina State

UNC (6-5, 3-4 ACC) is coming off a 41-21 loss to the Boston College Eagles (6-5, 3-4) Saturday. Brown's team struggled throughout the game and was playing from behind from the first quarter. Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell had a rough performance, finishing with 16 of 30 completed passes for 176 yards and three interceptions.

On Saturday, Week 14, the Tar Heels will try to regroup with a win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-6, 2-5). UNC noted in its statement that he'd coach Saturday's matchup, but it isn't sure if he'll coach in their bowl game.