Clemson staff gets $2.8M in bonuses for championship run

CLEMSON, S.C. - Winning a national title pays well at Clemson.

Head coach Dabo Swinney and the football staff earned more than $2.8 million in bonuses with the team's run to a national championship and Atlantic Coast Conference crown. The school gave a list of bonuses to The AP on Thursday.

Swinney led the way, getting $1.45 million in bonus pay for Clemson's first national championship since 1981. The Tigers defeated previously undefeated Alabama 35-31 in Tampa, Florida to take the title earlier this month.

Each of Clemson's nine on-field assistant coaches received $95,000 in extra pay for the team's 14-1 season. Strength coach Joey Batson and associate athletic director for football administration Woody McCorvey also received and extra $95,000.

In all, 16 football staffers received at least $70,000 in bonuses.