Recently fired University of North Carolina Assistant Head Coach Gene Chizik enjoyed his net worth in millions.
The whopping net worth majorly stems from his reputed career in college football coaching.
As one of the highly sought-after coaches and coordinators in college football, Chizik has earned quite a reputation.
Fans admire the coach’s strict, hard-working, and eccentric personality, making him one of the most recognizable faces in the sport.
Gene Chizik was born in Florida, United States, on December 28, 1961. He was a prominent athlete in his college days, playing as a linebacker for the University of Florida.
Academically, he completed his undergraduate studies in education at the University of Florida in 1986, followed by a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Clemson University in 1991.
Additionally, he began his coaching career with Seminole High School as their defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.
He spent much of the ’90s coaching for Stephen F. Austin State University.
After promising results in small schools, he was recruited by prominent colleges like Auburn and Texas. Subsequently, his big break came in 2007, with his first head coach gig at Iowa State.
Undoubtedly, the highlight moment of his career came in 2010, clinching the national championship as head coach of Auburn. Most recently, Chizik served as assistant head coach for UNC.
With more than 4 decades of coaching experience, he has endeared himself as a household name in college football.
Gene Chizik Net Worth 2024
Gene Chizik’s net worth is estimated to be around the $4 million to $5 million mark in 2024.
A large chunk of his net worth is accredited to his long and successful career as a college football coach.
Chizik’s first big contract came as head coach of Iowa State in 2007, which was a six-year deal worth $6.75 million.
With bonuses and other add-ons, the total could be more than $10 million.
During his tenure as head coach of Auburn, he was on a salary of $2 million in 2009.
This rose to $3.5 million in 2012. Adding bonuses, Chizik was making around $4 million to $5 million over a decade ago.
Following that, he took a pay cut to join UNC. In 2015, he earned a basic salary of less than $300,000.
However, the figure rose to over $1 million by 2022 with minimal add-ons.
So his salary just before being fired from UNC was $1.03 million, with just under $200,000 in bonuses.
Besides his coaching career, Gene worked in sports media for ESPN and Sirius Satellite Radio. This has further helped enhance his net worth.
Despite a pay decrease in the past decade at UNC, lucrative contracts at Auburn and Iowa State have raised his net worth to $5 million.
Why Was Chizik Fired From UNC?
As aforementioned, UNC recently released Gene Chizik from his duties as assistant head coach of their football program.
However, the news comes as little shock to football enthusiasts. Chizik faced difficulties in his second stint at North Carolina over the past two seasons.
The UNC defense didn’t perform well, ranking 95th nationally in 2023 and 116th nationally in 2022.
This poor defensive showing contributed to the team’s struggles in the late part of both years.
After being released, Chizik released a statement saying the years at UNC will always be memorable for him.
Additionally, he stated his relations with UNC higher-ups are still smooth, and he understands the decision is simply business.
