Cal made ex-NFL coach one of college football’s highest-paid GMs
University of California-Berkeley made former NFL coach Ron Rivera one of the highest-paid general managers in college football when it hired him last March, according to new compensation information released by school officials to USA TODAY Sports.
Rivera is set to earn $800,000 per year and will be eligible for up to $800,000 in additional performance-based incentives as Cal football’s general manager, UC Berkeley assistant vice chancellor for executive communications Dan Mogulof wrote in an email on Oct. 10. The exact terms between Cal and Rivera remain unknown and Mogoluf said the school would provide his full agreement ‘once the contract is signed and finalized.’
A university official previously told USA TODAY Sports in August, in response to an open records request for Rivera’s contract with Cal, the document serving as Rivera’s employment contract was still in draft form and exempt from disclosure.
Rivera’s $800,000 base salary ranks him tied for fifth among college football general managers and other top front official personnel at public universities in Power Four conferences, according to data compiled by USA TODAY Sports. Among those schools, only North Carolina, Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State will pay their general manager or top front office official more in total compensation in 2025 than Cal will pay Rivera. Rivera’s potential bonus is nearly $300,000 more than anyone else in a similar role at another public school.
The former Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers coach is taking on a wide-ranging role as the school’s first general manager. He has personnel responsibilities and hiring power within the football program similar to an NFL general manager, as well as more traditional fundraising duties tied to the university’s NIL and revenue sharing programs. The university statement announcing Rivera’s hiring, which came a few months after rival Stanford turned to alum Andrew Luck as its football general manager, noted Rivera reports only to Cal-Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons.
Rivera described the arrangement as ‘a working relationship’ with Cal football coach Justin Wilcox when he met with reporters in Berkeley for the first time last April. Rivera is empowered to provide Wilcox what he needs to coach the team, and his decision-making areas include player recruitment and retention and Wilcox’s coaching staff. When asked who had ‘ultimately authority’ within the football program, Rivera responded, ‘I do have that, other than the chancellor.’
‘One thing everybody has to understand is I do have the opportunity working with the Chancellor to make decisions on what is best for Cal football because my hands are in every facet of Cal football,’ Rivera emphasized.
Cal started the 2025 season with four wins in its first five games before a 45-21 loss to Duke in ACC play on Oct. 4. Wilcox is in his ninth season as the Bears coach and coming off consecutive 6-6 regular-season campaigns that ended with bowl game defeats.
