As of August 2025, Luke Fickell has been the head football coach of the University of Wisconsin–Madison since 2023. Prior to this, he served as the University of Cincinnati's head coach from 2016 to 2022. Fickell began his playing career at St. Francis DeSales High School, where he won three wrestling state titles and was named to the first team of the Ohio defensive tackles two times. Fickell was an outstanding defensive player who redshirted for the Buckeyes in 1992. From 1993 to 1996, he set a school record by starting 50 straight games at nose guard.
Following a brief NFL career and a 1999 graduate assistant position at Ohio State, Fickell was appointed as the defensive line coach at the University of Akron in 2000. His total coaching record as of August 2025 is 76 victories and 38 defeats. He won 57 of these 76 games in Cincinnati.
Luke Fickell's Salary 2025
Luke Fickell's salary in 2025 is $7.7 million.
Luke Fickell's Contract
According to UW Athletics, Luke Fickell, the head coach of Wisconsin, has agreed to a contract extension that would keep him with the Badgers until 2032. Fickell remained with the program until 2031 on his prior contract.
Luke Fickell's Buyout
As of right now, his buyout is slightly over $40 million, which further cemented coach Fickell's position at Wisconsin for the foreseeable future. If Wisconsin were to cut ties with Fickell before the last regular season game in 2029, he would be entitled to liquidated damages equivalent to $6.48 million, which would be the floor for his buyout, or 80% of his remaining contract value. The fixed fee for Fickell's buyout would be $6.48 million following the 2029 season.
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FAQs on Luke Fickell
A. Luke Fickell's salary in 2025 is $7.7 million.
A. Luke Fickell is 52 years old as of August 2025.
A. Luke Fickell has won 13 games and lost 13 games as of August 2025 with Wisconsin.
A. Luke Fickell's contract with Wisconsin extends through the 2032 college football season.
