Supply and demand, he’s is one of if not the hottest coaching candidates in the NFL and there is only one of him. When MCDC was hired in 2021, the average HC salary was $6M, now it’s $9M. There was no demand beyond the Lions for MCDC, there will be competition for BJ. Ben will be selective as has been well documented, his offenses have ranked in the top 3 the last 2 years in an offense driven league and he is coming from an organization that is in the midst of a model rebuild, so he’s seen how it’s done first hand.
Those factors, I believe, will force potential suitors to offer him above average money. I would guess he will get offered more than AG.
Something to consider:
Some of the highest-paid first-time NFL head coaches include:
- Pete Carroll: Earned $11 million
- Jon Gruden: Earned $10 million
- Sean Payton: Earned $9.8 million
- John Harbaugh: Earned $9 million
- Matt Rhule: Earned $8.5 million
- Sean McVay: Earned $8.5 million
- Mike Tomlin: Earned $8 million
- Andy Reid: Earned $8 million
While young coaches often start at a lower salary, some first-time head coaches have secured deals that are more in line with second-contract coaches. For example, both Macdonald and Ryans were in high demand and received deals that were more in line with second-contract coaches. Macdonald’s deal with the Seattle Seahawks is worth $9 million per year, while Ryans received a six-year contract with an AAV of $8 million.