Bobby Petrino and the University of Arkansas have had a wild relationship. In 2007, Petrino wanted to become the head coach of the school, but there was a problem: He was already coaching the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL. Incoming athletic director Jeff Long didn't want to wait until after the NFL season ended, so Petrino resigned from the Falcons midseason, informing his players via a laminated card in their lockers.
Once his Arkansas tenure officially began, Petrino got to work restoring the program. After a losing record in his first season, the Razorbacks went a combined 29-10 over the next three years. The school peaked at No. 5 in both the Coaches and AP polls in 2011, finishing with an 11-2 record and a Cotton Bowl victory.
That offseason, Petrino was involved in a motorcycle crash. Over the course of the crash's investigation, it came out that Petrino was in an extramarital affair with an Arkansas staffer. He hosted a memorable press conference while wearing a neck cast, but the university had enough to fire Petrino with cause. The coach missed out on $18 million in potential earnings.
Now, 11 years later, Petrino is back at Arkansas as an offensive coordinator — and he'll once again make millions of dollars.
Tim Warner/Getty Images
247Sports reporter Brandon Marcello posted language from Petrino's contract. He'll earn $500,000 annually in base salary over the next two seasons, with an additional $1 million for the 2024 season and $1.1 million for the 2025 season. Petrino will also make $350,000 from this December through February 2024, when spring activities begin.
Add it all up, and Petrino will make $3.45 million over the next two years as Arkansas's offensive coordinator. He can also earn incentive bonuses based on how the Razorbacks fare on the field. If they overachieve and win both an SEC title and the National Championship Game, Petrino would make close to $4 million, and more than that if they do it twice.
In between coaching the Razorbacks, Petrino spent a year with Western Kentucky, was head coach of the Louisville Cardinals — led by Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson — and served three seasons as head coach of the Missouri State Bears. As with Arkansas, Petrino's five years at Louisville were his second stint with the school.
This past season, Petrino signed with UNLV, then left precisely 21 days later to become offensive coordinator at Texas A&M.
Perhaps no coach has gotten more second chances than Bobby Petrino. Now, let's see what he does with this latest opportunity.
