UCLA’s commitments to Chip Kelly aren’t nearly as costly under $22-million contract

After recommitting to Chip Kelly with a new four-year, $22-million contract last month on the eve of the coach’s buyout expiring, UCLA left itself on the hook for a relatively small amount if things go sour over the next two seasons.

Kelly’s contract, reviewed by The Times on Friday, calls for him to receive 70% of his remaining salary, talent fee and retention bonuses through Dec. 15, 2023, were the school to dismiss him without cause before that date. Kelly is scheduled to make $4.6 million in salary and talent fees in 2022 and $4.8 million each in 2023, 2024 and 2025. His contract also includes $1 million retention bonuses to be paid on Dec. 15, 2022, as well as the same date in 2023 and 2024.

So, for example, if UCLA were to dismiss Kelly the day after next season ended, it would owe only 70% of his remaining salary, talent fee and retention bonus through Dec. 15, 2023, which would be roughly $4.06 million.

Kelly, who has gone 18-25 in his first four seasons at UCLA, would owe the Bruins $3 million if he left the school before the final game of the 2022 season. If Kelly were to depart before the end of the 2023 season, he would owe the school $1.5 million.

The bonus structure in Kelly’s contract calls for him to make as much as $1.085 million per season for meeting performance and academic benchmarks. If Kelly were to win the Pac-12 Conference coach of the year, he would get $50,000 and if he were to win national coach of the year he would get $100,000.

Kelly would earn $25,000 were the Bruins to finish in the Associated Press top 10 and an additional $25,000 were the team to finish in the top five (including ties for both categories). Any appearance in the College Football Playoff would net Kelly $100,000, with an appearance in the CFP championship earning him an additional $150,000 and a national title another $200,000.

Any bowl game appearance would earn Kelly $40,000 and a New Year’s Six game would net him $100,000, with a victory in a New Year’s Six game providing another $100,000. If the Bruins appeared in the Pac-12 title game, Kelly would earn $50,000; a victory in that game would get him another $50,000.

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Kelly would also get $10,000 for six wins in the regular season; another $10,000 for seven wins; another $10,000 for eight wins; another $25,000 for nine wins; another $25,000 for 10 wins; another $50,000 for 11 wins and another $50,000 for 12 wins.

If UCLA finished with a graduate success rate greater than 70%, Kelly would earn a $45,000 bonus. If UCLA’s Academic Progress rate was greater than 930, Kelly would get $25,000; if it exceeded 940, he would get another $10,000; if it exceeded 950, he would get another $10,000; if it exceeded 960, he would get another $10,000; if it exceeded 970, he would get another $15,000; if it exceeded 980, he would get another $15,000 and if it exceeded 990, he would get another $25,000.

Kelly can also make up to $100,000 per year in camp and clinics payments.