Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano landed on the hot seat almost immediately this season after the Scarlet Knights opened 2026 with three straight losses.
The skid started with one of the most stunning results of the young season. As 29.5-point favorites, Rutgers fell 37-21 at home to UMass, which entered the game on a 16-game losing streak, the longest in the nation. Losses at Boston College and to then-No. 12 USC followed before Rutgers routed FCS Howard 58-7 on Sept. 25 for its first win of the year, which was also Schiano’s 100th career victory at Rutgers.
Schiano is the program’s all-time winningest coach, but his second stint has been uneven. After back-to-back bowl trips in 2023 and 2024, Rutgers slipped to 5-7 last season, and Schiano is now 32-44 since returning in 2020. With No. 6 Indiana visiting Piscataway on Saturday, questions about his contract and potential buyout have only grown louder.
Here’s a look at Schiano’s contract details and buyout options.
What Is Greg Schiano’s 2026 Salary?
Greg Schiano is in his 18th season as Rutgers’ head coach across two stints.(Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)
Schiano returned to Rutgers in December 2019 on an eight-year, $32 million contract that paid him about $4 million per year. After the Scarlet Knights became bowl eligible in 2023, the school announced a contract extension that raised his 2024 compensation to $6.25 million. That extension runs through the 2029 season, according to Schiano’s contract obtained by On3.
Schiano is earning $6.75 million this season, according to the Associated Press, which makes him the highest-paid public employee in New Jersey. His contract also calls for a $500,000 raise after the 2026 season, per On3.
How Much Is Schiano’s Buyout After This Season?
If Rutgers decided to part ways with Schiano without cause, the university would owe him 76.875% of his remaining base salary. If he is let go at the end of November, that figure would come to approximately $18.5 million, per USA TODAY Sports’ database of coaching salaries. On3 reported the same roughly $18.5 million figure for a firing after the 2026 season.
From there, the buyout drops to $11.7 million after the 2027 season, $5.9 million after the 2028 season and $0 after the 2029 season, according to On3. The contract also calls for the buyout to be paid biweekly through the end of the contract term, and it is subject to offset if Schiano takes another job.
What Are Rutgers’ Toughest 2026 Games And Remaining Schedule?
Rutgers hosts No. 6 Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 3, before heading into its bye week. The back half of the schedule also includes a home date with Michigan on Oct. 31 and a road trip to Penn State on Nov. 21, followed by the regular-season finale against Michigan State on Nov. 28.
Rutgers’ 2026 Schedule:
- Week 1: vs. UMass (Sept. 3) — L, 37-21
- Week 2: at Boston College (Sept. 11) — L, 28-21
- Week 3: vs. No. 12 USC (Sept. 19) — L, 42-35
- Week 4: vs. Howard (Sept. 25) — W, 58-7
- Week 5: vs. No. 6 Indiana (Oct. 3)
- Week 6: BYE
- Week 7: at Maryland (Oct. 17)
- Week 8: at Northwestern (Oct. 24)
- Week 9: vs. Michigan (Oct. 31)
- Week 10: at Wisconsin (Nov. 7)
- Week 11: vs. Nebraska (Nov. 14)
- Week 12: at Penn State (Nov. 21)
- Week 13: vs. Michigan State (Nov. 28)
