Chris Christie Bashes Ex-Rutgers Coach Schiano For His Demands

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Speaking at an event in Iselin this past Monday, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talked at length about Rutgers' decision to walk away from contract negotiations with former RU football coach Greg Schiano – and he wasn't complimentary toward the most successful coach in the college's history.

As NJ.com was first to report, Rutgers decided last weekend to end its weeks-long contract negotiations to bring back Schiano as head football coach. Christie's comments came as one NJ.com report says talks may be back on again.

Christie ripped Schiano for reportedly asking for $4 million-a-year salary over eight years, a $25.2 million guarantee if he was fired without cause and use of a private jet.

"When a coach is demanding an eight-year guarantee from a public institution and thirty four million dollars, and then says on top of it 'I want private air travel for me and my family for the entire eight years' ... I'm sorry," said Christie. "He’s not Bear Bryant, he’s not Urban Meyer. He’s an unemployed football coach who now wants the taxpayers of the state of New Jersey to pay for his private air travel."

In the 2019 season that just wrapped up, the Rutgers football team was 2–9, and 0-8 in the Big Ten. That was under the coaching of Chris Ash, who was fired in mid-season this year.

Schiano coached Rutgers football from 2001 to 2011, and was the most successful head coach in the program's history. From there, he became the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach from 2012 to 2013.

After Ash was fired, Rutgers was attempting to get Schiano back on board. Gov. Phil Murphy reportedly got involved, trying to convince Schiano to return to the bank of the Raritan. It seemed like everyone in New Jersey had an opinion on the Schiano-Rutgers contract negotiations, with even the mayor of Piscataway chiming in to say that Schiano was a model Piscatway resident whose wins brought fame and money to Central Jersey.

Christie, however, clearly thinks Rutgers made the right decision in deciding to walk away from negotiations with Schiano.

“The governor doesn’t get private air travel,” Christie continued. “I know it. I flew commercial all the time. And for him to demand that for not only him but his family, I’m sorry, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere. When the public heard that the Rutgers football coach gets — at least in part — taxpayer- or tuition-funded private air travel for himself and his family ... based on his determination as to whether it's related to Rutgers or not. Yeah, sorry. If I were governor and asked to bless that, I'd have a hard time with that."

"It leads me to conclude he didn't really want the job," Christie continued. "When you start getting demands like that, when they go from five years to eight years ..."

You can hear Christie's remarks for yourself. He has a lot to say on the topic:

Here's what Schiano was asking for, according to his terms, a copy of which was obtained by NJ Advance Media on Sunday:

• $4 million a year salary, with $400,000 retention bonuses every two years after the second year of his contract.
• A $25.2 million guarantee if the university were to terminate his contract without cause before 2021.
• Use of private-jet travel for all recruiting activities and for university-related travel.
• That his wife and kids would’ve been allowed to travel to away games on the team’s charter flight, which is a standard provision for many major-level college football coaches.

Rutgers had originally offered Schiano a six-year, $24 million contract, sources told NJ.com.

Rutgers' search for a head football coach continues.