Dabo Swinney
- Role(s) as quoted
- Clemson head football coach
- Clemson head coach
- Person type
- Coaches
- Entries
- 9 (2014 to Oct 13, 2026)
- Topics
- Pay, NIL & revenue sharing (4) Governance & legislation (3) Playoff & bowls (2) Health & safety (2) Employment & unions (1) Transfer portal (1) Eligibility (1) Structure: super league & divisions (1) Conference realignment (1)
In the Ideas index
All entries (oldest first)
“But as far as paying players, professionalizing college athletics, that's where you lose me.”
Asked about the Northwestern players' union push, Swinney said he opposed paying players and professionalizing college athletics, and suggested that any improvements, such as a post-graduation annuity or stipend, should be tied to education and graduation.
“I think the more you expand it, the less important the season becomes and the more you become the NFL.”
Swinney said he and his players opposed expanding the CFP to 12 teams, though he called it inevitable. He argued more expansion makes the regular season less important and turns the sport into the NFL, where teams rest starters once they're in.
“People say, It's just one more game. To me, that is a total lack of appreciation for what it takes to win a game”
Said 12-team expansion may be good financially and for fans 'but I don't think that's what is best for the player'; called 'it's just one more game' a lack of appreciation for what those games take.
“There's no rules, no guidance, no nothing. It's out of control. It's not sustainable.”
Swinney criticized the unregulated NIL environment, calling it unsustainable and warning that players would make decisions for the wrong reasons.
No verbatim quote recorded for this entry; summary of the source only.
Swinney has backed revenue sharing because it comes with a salary cap and promised regulation of third-party NIL, but he opposes the House settlement's 105-man football roster limit because it squeezes out walk-ons.
“It's not sustainable the way we are. It's just a matter of time.”
Predicted college football will consolidate into one 40–50-team 'super league', possibly 'the best era for college football'; warned that 'the adults have left the room.'
“The adults are all downstairs sipping wine, and we've put a bunch of kids up in the room with fireworks and gas and knives and we don't think anything bad is going to happen.”
Worried the game will 'use' kids because adults have abdicated leadership; used a vivid image of kids left in a room with fireworks.
“First of all, I think the biggest thing is, we need some type of rules. We have none. We don't have any rules. And whatever rules we do have, they can't be enforced.”
On his Monday-night radio show, said the biggest need in college athletics is rules that can actually be enforced; called the Protect College Sports Act a mixed bag but praised its bipartisan backing.
“So, there's probably some things in it you like, some things you don't like — that's usually the case when you have compromise in agreement. But I think all coaches – I mean, we don't really have any rules right now. We just don't. There's no rules. So, hopefully something good will come out of it.”
At his Tuesday press conference, said he isn't spending energy on the Protect College Sports Act but repeated that the sport has no real rules and hoped the bipartisan compromise produces some.
College FootballNFL · later