NFL assistant coach salaries reveal surprising figures that most football fans never see. A typical NFL assistant coach earns $400,000 per season, while top performers like Anthony Weaver and Joe Judge rake in more than $5 million each year.
These salary figures show remarkable differences based on roles and duties. Most offensive and defensive coordinators earn close to $1 million yearly. Dave Toub commands between $3-4 million annually by serving dual roles as special teams coordinator and assistant head coach. College coaching presents a stark contrast where the typical assistant earns $31,481. However, nine elite college assistants managed to secure $1.9 million or more in 2023. Several key elements determine these salaries, which vary significantly among teams and positions.
NFL Assistant Coach Salary Overview (2025)
NFL assistant coach salaries in 2025 show big differences between teams, roles, and experience levels. What began as a modest profession has grown into a rewarding career path for coaches who reach the top levels of football.
Average salary across all assistant roles
NFL assistant coaches now earn around $400,000 annually. This is a huge jump from 2017 when these positions paid between $150,000-$175,000. The growth in pay has been faster than anyone expected. The Dallas Cowboys lead other teams by paying their assistants $301,710 per season. This sets a high standard for other teams. The Jacksonville Jaguars pay their seventeen assistant coaches $194,782 per season, which shows the big gap between teams.
Position coaches earn between $200,000-$500,000 each year, and these numbers keep going up as teams value specialized coaching more. Team success and market conditions also affect these numbers, and winning teams often pay more.
How coordinator salaries compare
Offensive and defensive coordinators earn much more, with average salaries around $1 million annually. But top coordinators can earn way beyond this basic figure. Here’s what the highest-paid coordinators make:
- Chip Kelly (Raiders) – $6 million annually
- Todd Monken (Ravens) – $3 million annually
- Mike Kafka (Giants) – $3 million annually
- Kellen Moore (Eagles) – $2.5 million annually
- Arthur Smith (Steelers) – $2 million annually
These coordinators also get extra bonuses when their teams make the playoffs or win championships.
Top earners in 2025 and their roles
Some assistant coaches have landed exceptional deals. Anthony Weaver of the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Judge of the New England Patriots rank among the highest-paid assistants, earning more than $5 million yearly. Dave Toub of the Kansas City Chiefs makes $3-4 million each year because he serves as both special teams coordinator and assistant head coach.
All but one of the five highest-paid offensive coordinators played quarterback in college, and two made it to the NFL before they started coaching. This shows how playing experience adds value to coaching roles. Josh McDaniels was the highest-paid coordinator with the New England Patriots before joining the Raiders, earning about $4 million yearly.
Salary by Role and Responsibility
NFL assistant coach salaries show huge differences when broken down by specific roles and responsibilities throughout coaching staffs.
Position coaches: QB, OL, WR, etc.
Position coaches are the foundations of NFL coaching staffs. Their pay ranges based on their experience and specialty. Recent surveys show most position coaches take home $200,000-$500,000 annually. This range gets wider for high-demand roles.
Offensive line coaches rank highest in pay among position coaches. They work almost like coordinators. Top OL coaches pull in over $1 million each year, putting their earnings close to coordinator levels. Pay gaps between OL coaches with similar experience can reach $1.1 million. This shows how teams value the same role differently.
QB coaches earn more than most position coaches. Their direct work with quarterbacks, football’s most crucial position, puts them at the top of the pay scale. They make much more than coaches who handle running backs or wide receivers.
Special teams and strength coaches
Special teams coordinators have come a long way in terms of pay. Elite pros like Dave Toub of the Kansas City Chiefs earn $2 million annually. Most special teams coordinators make between $200,000-$500,000, matching mid-level position coaches.
Strength and conditioning coaches have seen their value rise quickly. NFL strength coaches usually earn $500,000 yearly. The best ones make as much as coordinators. Their job has evolved beyond basic strength training to focus on preventing injuries.
Assistant head coaches vs. coordinators
Assistant head coaches often make less than coordinators, despite their fancy titles. They average about $43,678, while offensive coordinators average $47,161.
Coordinators get premium pay because they act like co-head coaches. They run their units with lots of freedom. Even coordinators at smaller-market teams make around $1 million yearly. This reflects how much they shape game plans and strategy.
What Affects an NFL Assistant Coach’s Salary?
The NFL assistant coach salary list shows a complex mix of factors that separate seven-figure earners from their lower-paid peers. Many elements determine why some coaches earn much more than others.
Team revenue and market size
Teams from bigger markets with higher revenue streams pay their coaches more. The Dallas Cowboys top the list by paying their staff an average of $301,710 per season. Small-market Jacksonville’s assistants earn nowhere near that amount, with an average of $194,782. This gap exists because teams in major media markets have more money to spend on coaching talent.
Coaching experience and past success
Past achievements shape an assistant coach’s market value. Coaches who have won championships or shown they can develop talent earn premium salaries. A good example is assistant coaches who were once head coaches – they usually keep most of their previous salary level. Teams pay more for coaches with proven records, even though experience doesn’t guarantee wins.
Contract length and negotiation power
The length of contracts affects yearly salaries, and coaches often accept lower annual pay for longer-term job security. Coaches wanted by several teams have more power at the negotiating table. Salary offers can rise quickly when multiple teams compete for one coach. The core team of agents helps too – experienced representatives secure better deals that include performance bonuses and extra benefits.
Playoff appearances and team performance
Winning leads to better pay. Assistant coaches from teams that win consistently earn higher salaries, especially those linked to multiple playoff appearances. Coordinators from teams ranked in the top 10 for offense or defense earn 15-20% more than those from less successful teams. This means assistant coaches work hard to improve their units not just to keep their jobs, but also because each successful season increases their value in the market.
NFL vs. College Assistant Coach Salaries
College football coaches sometimes make more money than NFL assistant coaches. This creates a remarkable dynamic between professional and college coaching markets.
Power Five vs. Group of Five programs
The college football coaching world shows a clear financial split. Power Five schools now pay their head coaches $6.20 million on average each year. This represents a 14.8% jump from last year. The money doesn’t flow equally to all college programs. Group of Five coordinators earn just a fraction of what their Power Five colleagues make. South Florida defensive coordinator Todd Orlando leads Group of Five assistant salaries at $550,000.
Money differences show up at every level of coaching staff. UCF’s Randy Shannon became the first Group of Five assistant to earn $1 million when his salary jumped from $300,000 in 2019. Power Four schools tell a different story. Their average coordinator salary has grown by nearly 25% in just four years and now reaches $1.10 million yearly in 2024.
Top-paid college coordinators
The best college coordinators now earn NFL-level money:
- LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker: $2.50 million
- Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale: $2.30 million
- Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles: $2.20 million
- Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding: $2.15 million
- Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig: $2.05 million
Defensive coordinators have earned more than offensive coordinators consistently. The numbers prove this – 11 of the top 15 highest-paid coordinators in 2024 run the defense.
Why some college assistants earn more than NFL peers
The twenty highest-paid NFL head coaches average $8.98 million, which matches the twenty highest-paid NCAA football head coaches at $8.99 million. Several factors create this unexpected balance in college football:
Revenue generation lets successful college programs invest heavily in coaching talent. College coaches also negotiate contracts with big buyout clauses that boost their total pay. Many college coaches get ten-year deals with small penalties if they leave early, which gives them job security.
College football doesn’t have salary caps like the NFL. Universities with large endowments and strong revenue streams can outbid pro teams to get the best coaching talent.
Conclusion
Final Thoughts on NFL Assistant Coach Compensation
NFL assistant coach salaries show a complex system that most fans don’t fully grasp. Our analysis shows huge pay differences across roles, teams, and experience levels. The average assistant makes about $400,000 a year. Top coordinators and specialists can earn up to $5 million yearly. That’s quite a range in the profession.
The data shows several reasons behind these big pay gaps. Big-market teams like the Dallas Cowboys spend more than smaller-market teams. A coach’s experience, track record, and bargaining power affect their earning potential. These factors create big pay differences even among coaches with the same job titles.
NFL and college coaching salaries tell an interesting story. Top coordinators at Power Five schools sometimes make more than their NFL counterparts. This shows how fierce the competition has become to attract coaching talent at all levels of football.
Assistant coach pay has changed fast. Average salaries have more than doubled since 2017. Teams now see the real value that specialized coaching brings. This upward trend will likely continue.
Some might think these numbers are too high. But they match the market value of people who shape billion-dollar teams. These coaches, whether they’re defensive coordinators or quarterback coaches, have a huge job. They develop talent and create game plans that make the difference between winning and losing.
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