Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney is one of the most famous coaches in the sport. He makes $11.5 million a year to coach his team, but this year, the results on the field haven’t been great.
Dabo and the Tigers fell to the North Carolina State Wolfpack, 24-17, on Saturday. The loss sent the Tigers to 4-4 on the season.
That apparently didn’t sit well with “Tyler,” a Clemson fan who called into Swinney’s weekly radio show on Monday night and lambasted the head coach for the disappointing season.
“Why are we paying you $11.5 million to make 4-4?” Tyler asked after comparing Swinney to former coach Tommy Bowden “but with more money.”
Swinney went on a five-minute tirade:
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney went on an epic 5-minute rant tonight after ‘Tyler, from Spartanburg’ asked him about his $11.5 million salary and 4-4 season.
“I’m not gonna sit here and let you, I don’t care how much money I make. You’re not gonna talk to me like I’m 12-years old..” pic.twitter.com/XvjhZDUd2m
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) October 31, 2023
“You can have all your opinions you want. I don’t know how old you are, don’t care. We won 11 games last year, and you’re part of the problem,” Swinney said in part.
“I started at the lowest paid business in this frickin’ business and I’m not gonna let some smart-[aleck] kid get on this phone and create this stuff.”
Swinney didn’t stop there.
“There’s gonna be a lot more winning … We might win another championship next year, it might be six years like the last decade .. but I guarantee you, it won’t be 35 years.”
The college football world was quick to react to the embarrassing Dabo Swinney behavior:
The verdict is in:
-The caller: extremely annoying
-Dabo: has lost the plotEveryone loses here imo https://t.co/ts4RHPPneK
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) October 31, 2023
The way he says TYLER at the 4:04 mark…. Lmfao https://t.co/udX7v8BKgU
— Uncle B, Trusted Poster (@BenghaziExpert) October 31, 2023
Sorry guys, I know it seems like fish in a barrel but guys like Dabo 100% deserve the ridicule. Complaining about players when they do anything other than click their heels and say “Sir, yes sir!” and then getting absolutely tRiGgErEd when someone DARES question their salary. https://t.co/sDHTltvr7w
— Matt Scalici (@MattScalici) October 31, 2023
Watching Dabo melt down has been one of the greatest joys this season that I could possibly have dreamed of. Just sounds so exhausted about everything on every possible turn. https://t.co/Wriu6hCQLS
— Jason Morrow (@JasonMorrow270) October 31, 2023
Dear God, why is a two time national champion coach who makes $9 million a year this spun up about a guy calling him on a radio show. This is nuts even for Dabo. https://t.co/BkXHnVeWaD
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 31, 2023