The buyout life is the best life, and former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema will be living right after being fired by the Razorbacks shortly after their season-ending loss to Missouri in November 2017.
According to a release from the Razorback Foundation, Bielema is eligible to receive up to $11.935 million in monthly installments through December 31, 2020. Backdating that to December 2017, that would be $322,567.57 per month. That figure is subject to the right of offset, meaning any coaching salary he receives during that time frame would be deducted what's owed to him by Arkansas.
Kyle Deckelbaum of KATV provided the full release from the Razorback Foundation.
Just in: Razorback Foundation says Bret Bielema is eligible to be paid $11.935 million pic.twitter.com/NxmcXSTQ1f
— Kyle Deckelbaum (@KATVKyle) January 30, 2018
So, to put it more simply, Bielema can be incredibly selective while choosing his next step. He told Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated that he has received feelers from NFL teams. He also said the social media aspect of college football recruiting got annoying at times and that he is also considering a role in television.
With a buyout like the one he's receiving after his stint at Arkansas, perhaps TV is the best option.
Bielema went 29-34 overall in five seasons at Arkansas, 11-29 in the SEC. In 2017, his Hogs went 4-8 overall and 1-7 in conference play. Before his stint in Fayetteville, he posted a 68-24 record at Wisconsin from 2006-12, won three consecutive Big Ten championships from 2010-12 and led the Badgers to the Rose Bowl after each of those titles.
