Urban Meyer Net Worth

Urban Meyer Net Worth and Salary

Urban Meyer, a former American college football coach, has amassed a net worth of $35 million throughout his successful career. Meyer, who was also a talented college football player, coached several prominent teams including the Bowling Green Falcons, Utah Utes, Florida Gators, and Ohio State Buckeyes. Despite retiring from coaching in 2018, he is still associated with Ohio State as an Assistant Athletics Director of Athletics Initiatives and Relations.

Aside from his coaching career, Meyer has ventured into sports analysis, working as a commentator for Fox and previously for ESPN. He is particularly renowned for his appearances on the show “Big Noon Kickoff.” Prior to coaching, Meyer played as a defensive back during his college football years. Notable achievements as a coach include winning two BCS National Championship Games and obtaining the highest winning percentage among all active coaches in 2009. In 2014, he led the Buckeyes to their first Big Ten Conference title.

Early Life

Urban Frank Meyer III was born on July 10th, 1964 in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Ashtabula and after graduating from high school in 1982, he spent two seasons playing minor league baseball. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Cincinnati, he played as a defensive back. In 1986, Meyer graduated and went on to earn his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State University in 1988.

Career

During his time at university, Meyer began his coaching career as a defensive back coach at Saint Xavier High School in 1985 under the guidance of Steve Rasso. After leaving university, he became a graduate assistant coach for the tight ends at Ohio State, working under head coach Earle Bruce. Over the next 13 years, Meyer served as an assistant coach at various universities, including Illinois State, Colorado State, and Notre Dame. He coached numerous future football stars, including David Givens.

Meyer’s first head coaching position came in 2011 when he accepted an offer from Bowling Green. He made an immediate impact, transforming the team into a winning one. Following this successful season, he won the Mid-American Conference coach of the year award. After one more season with Bowling Green, Meyer left the team. During his time at Bowling Green, he developed a signature coaching style that heavily relied on the performance of quarterbacks like Josh Harris.

In 2003, Meyer became the head coach at the University of Utah. His first season was highly successful, resulting in him being named the Mountain West Conference’s Coach of the Year, with the Utes winning the conference championship. During his tenure at Utah, Meyer further refined his unique offensive system, utilizing short pass routes, a shotgun formation, and motion in the backfield. He led the team to victory in the Fiesta Bowl and helped Alex Smith gain recognition as a remarkable quarterback, leading to Smith being considered a first-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

By 2005, both the University of Florida and the University of Notre Dame were vying to hire Meyer as their head coach. Ultimately, Meyer chose the University of Florida after the Gators offered him a $14-million contract. Under his leadership, the team achieved success on the field; however, off-field misconduct by players caused widespread concern and controversy. During his time with the Gators, 31 players were arrested, facing charges ranging from possession of a concealed weapon to domestic violence and fraudulent use of credit cards.

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In 2006, Meyer led the Gators to victory in the SEC Championship Game. The team went on to win the 2007 BCS National Championship Game and achieved another BCS Championship in 2009. Meyer took a leave of absence due to chest pains and eventually resigned from coaching after discovering he had an arachnoid cyst. However, he coached the Gators during their win over the Cincinnati Bears in the Sugar Bowl. Some observers claimed that Meyer had fostered a toxic atmosphere in the locker room during his time at the University of Florida.

After a brief period as a commentator for ESPN, Meyer returned to coaching in 2011 with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Under his leadership, the Buckeyes had an undefeated first season, and in 2014 they won the Big Ten Football Championship Game. Meyer also led the Buckeyes to victory in the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, in 2018, he was suspended for three games due to his knowledge of Zach Smith’s spousal abuse. Meyer subsequently decided to retire from coaching.

Salaries

In 2005, Meyer took over as head coach of the University of Florida’s football team, signing a seven-year, $14-million contract. He later signed an extension that increased his annual salary to $3.25 million. In 2009, Meyer signed a six-year, $24-million extension, solidifying his position as one of the highest-paid coaches in the world. At the peak of his coaching career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Meyer earned an annual salary of $7.6 million. In total, Meyer accumulated approximately $40 million in earnings during his time coaching at Ohio State.

Retirement

Urban Meyer’s retirement in 2018 followed a period of controversy. He incurred $570,000 in lost wages due to a three-game suspension related to his failure to take a stronger stance against Zach Smith’s spousal abuse allegations. A subsequent investigation revealed that Meyer had known about Smith’s domestic issues prior to the coach’s firing but had failed to implement any disciplinary measures. Ohio State faced a difficult decision regarding Meyer as they would have been obligated to pay him an additional $38 million if they chose to fire him. However, Urban ultimately decided to retire, allowing both parties to terminate the agreement without additional payments.

Real Estate

In 2012, Urban Meyer purchased a home in Ohio worth $1.45 million. The seven-bedroom residence features an outdoor pool and is located in a gated community near a local golf course’s seventh green.

Conclusion

Urban Meyer, with a net worth of $35 million, established himself as a highly successful college football coach. Through his impressive career, he achieved multiple championships and accolades. While controversies and off-field issues occasionally detracted from his achievements, Meyer’s impact on the teams he coached was undeniably significant. Today, Urban Meyer continues to be regarded as one of the most prominent figures in college football coaching history.

Table: Urban Meyer’s Profile

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