Dan Mullen Explains Why He Left TV For $17.5M UNLV Coaching Job

The UNLV Rebels athletic director made a major commitment and took a huge swing this offseason when he offered new head coach Dan Mullen a massive $17.5 million contract. The deal was worth more than double what former head coach Barry Odom was making before he left to take the Purdue Boilermakers job this offseason.

Mullen has spoken about how he was comfortable with his TV job, and multiple teams have reached out to him over the past few years since he left the Florida Gators. While Mullen had turned down all the offers, the UNLV job intrigued him both because of the direction of the program and the city of Las Vegas. He opened up about the decision to take the job at UNLV and how it was the right decision for his family.  

"You know what, it was hard. It was a tough decision. I really enjoyed TV. A big family decision.” Mullen said. "You know, we started talking, and, you know, the last couple of years I just—nothing, you know—I’d get calls, and I would just say it’s not going to interest me. And then in October, I said, all right, I talked to my wife. I said if people call, we’ll listen. Maybe we’ll have some conversations this year."

Mullen ultimately decided he wasn't done with coaching, and it offered him and his family something that TV didn't. The truckload of money they offered him certainly didn't hurt either. Nevertheless, he has quickly taken to the team, the new NCAA Football landscape, and the city of  Las Vegas. He has come with the intentions of both building a winning football program and building a community around it, and he has gotten off to a quick start so far. The future looks bright for both Mullen and the Rebels, who look to be a perfect match.