Eight Tennessee football assistant coaches have declined proposed pay cuts as the athletic department deals with a $40 million loss in revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tennessee announced pay cuts in October starting Nov. 1 through June 30 for employees making more than $50,000 per year. But Tennessee football coaches must agree to any reductions as part of their contracts.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Friday that every head coach at Tennessee signed a contract amendment agreeing to reduce pay through June 30.
But athletic department spokesman Tom Satkowiak confirmed Friday that eight assistants did not. They were offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, the highest paid of the eight at $1.6 million per year; defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley; offensive line coach Will Friend; quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke; inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer; outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton; tight ends coach Joe Osovet; and strength and conditioning coach A.J. Artis, the lowest-paid assistant at $200,000 per year.
The only football assistants to accept pay cuts were wide receivers coach Tee Martin and running backs coach Jay Graham, who both played at Tennessee.
Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt was not asked to take a pay cut because he did not accept a raise for 2020 in a contract extension signed in September. Athletic director Phillip Fulmer announced in August that he would take a 15% pay cut that started Nov. 1.