Toppmeyer: Tennessee AD Phillip Fulmer receives contract extension

Through all the noise of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tennessee athletics director Phillip Fulmer received a contract extension, apparently. Blake Toppmeyer had the news this morning, reporting that Fulmer signed the extension all the way back in May.

Fulmer took over the AD position during the wild coaching search in 2017. John Currie was removed from his post after a week full of meetings with various coaches, each of which came up empty. Currie was removed from the search, and Fulmer immediately took over.

His first move was the hiring of Jeremy Pruitt, who also received a contract extension this year.

According to Toppmeyer’s reporting, Fulmer’s new deal runs through December 31st, 2023. His salary remains the same, staying at $900,000 annually. The extension increased his buyout to 50 percent of his remaining salary.

Fulmer is now 70 years old.

He’s now tasked with leading Tennessee out of these pandemic times, something that has the athletic department projected to lose around $40 million this year. Fulmer has taken a 15 percent pay cut for the year because of that, which is reportedly the largest cut of anyone within the athletic department.

Toppmeyer has the full details of Fulmer’s extension over at Knox News.