Dan Mullen Signs New Mega Contract with Mississippi State

Nov 22, 2014; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen and his son Canon Mullen celebrate after the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Mullen’s contract negotiations are finally over – he has signed with Mississippi State through 2018 for $4.25 million per year.

As per the usual, it’s for the 4-year maximum state allowed contract. I’m not sure why Stricklin decided to go $50,000 less than Hugh Freeze’s contract, but it is what it is.

A lot of folks wondered why it was taking so long for a contract to be ironed out. Rumors speculated that an announcement would be made around the bowl game, or perhaps just before signing day. The timing is curious, but it doesn’t really matter. The bottom line is MSU was able to secure Coach Mullen (like there was any doubt) for big time SEC money. Welcome to the big boy table.

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Dan Mullen’s original contract signed in December of 2008 was for $1.2 million per year. After a 5-7 season in 2009 and then 9-4 in 2010 he was bumped up to $2.5 million. His pay raises for the next four years were small (relatively speaking), and got him up to $2.65 – but now the big pay day has hit.

Mullen is the first coach since Allyn McKeen in the 1940s to lead State to five straight winning seasons, and he’s the first coach to ever take the program to five straight bowl games. Not to mention the first coach to ever lead the program to a top 5 ranking and #1 overall for five weeks in 2014.

The raise is well deserved for Coach Mullen. He has taken Mississippi State football to another level of consistency and offensive production. 2015 is expected to be another solid year on the gridiron….spring practice is just a few weeks away.