TCU paid former football coach Gary Patterson $17 million when they parted ways in 2021

TCU paid former football coach Gary Patterson $17 million in 2021, the year they parted ways during a disappointing season, according to the university’s IRS Form 990, obtained Friday by the Star-Telegram.

Patterson, TCU’s winningest coach, was under contract through 2024. The Star-Telegram reported at the time the school owed Patterson and his assistants an $18 million buyout.

Nonprofits must make their three most recent 990 Forms available and open to public inspection. The university filed the 2021 form on April 6. It covered June 1, 2021, through May 31, 2022.

Patterson went 181-79 in his 21 seasons and the Horned Frogs finished ranked in the top 10 six times. But they began to falter in 2018, and were 21-22 and 13-19 in the Big 12 play since that time when Patterson left on Oct. 31, 2021, a day after a 31-12 loss at Kansas State.

Coaches and the athletic director accounted for half of TCU’s 10 highest-paid employees.

Men’s basketball coach Jame Dixon earned $3.75 million, athletic director Jeremiah Donati made $950,000, baseball coach Kirk Saarloos was paid $829,000, and former women’s basketball coach Raegan Pebley made $756,000.

Chancellor Victor Boschini was TCU’s third-highest paid employee, at $1.77 million.

Patterson was a special assistant at Texas in 2022. He stepped down in March.