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What is Don Brown's net worth? Here's why Michigan Wolverines fired their defensive coordinator after 5 seasons

Brown’s defenses ranked among the top five nationally in total defense in each of his first three seasons but showed signs of cracking in 2019

Michigan has fired defensive coordinator Don Brown, who took over the defense in 2016 and helped it become a No 1 rated team nationally. The Wolverines dismissed their defensive coordinator after five seasons in Ann Arbor. 

Brown’s removal comes after Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who finished his sixth season with the Wolverines, continues discussions with athletic director Warde Manuel about a contract extension. Harbaugh has one year remaining on his current seven-year deal and joined this season as the only FBS coach with less than two years on his contract. Brown’s defenses ranked among the top five nationally in total defense in his first three seasons but showed signs of cracking in 2019. The unit had a stark drop-off in 2020, allowing 34.5 points and 434.4 yards per game, which each ranked in the bottom three of the Big Ten."He definitely wants to coach some more," Brown agent, Gary O'Hagan said. "I think there will be some teams interested in him." 

After the 2015 season, Brown was hired from Boston College and immediately he made an impact on the team. Michigan's 2016 defense was historically elite, allowing just 14.1 points (No. 2 nationally) and 261.8 yards per game (tied for lowest in the nation). The 2017 defense was likewise elite, allowing the third-fewest yards per game in the nation and just 18.8 points in the game. But as stingy as Michigan's defense was under Brown during his first few years in Ann Arbor, it will likely be recognized for its efforts against Ohio State in the past two seasons. The Wolverines went to Columbus in 2018 with the nation's top-ranked defense at the time and legitimate playoff hopes and quickly allowed 62 points and 567 yards. And in 2019, Michigan gave up 56 points and 577 yards in another blowout loss to the Buckeyes. 

Now the Internet wants to know how much money the 65-year-old has minted in all these years.

According to Detroit News, Brown was the highest-paid associate in the Big Ten this past season. He made $1.1 million in base salary and a $600,000 retention bonus. He was hired late in 2015 and then signed a new three-year deal in 2019 worth a minimum of $4.9 million. The final year of the deal that was to expire in 2022 was to pay Brown $1.7 million.

“It’s sad to see someone like him get let go,” former Michigan defensive lineman Chris Wormley, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, told The News. “After all that success he had his first few years there…something needed to change after the way the season ended, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and Jim must’ve thought that was the best course of action. “It’ll be interesting to see if anyone else gets fired. He had a big part of a lot of guys getting drafted, and that’ll never be taken away. Maybe they should’ve kept old man Matty after all.”

Two games during Brown’s tenure have perpetually criticized for his aggressive man defense — the 62-39 loss at Ohio State in 2018 and the 56-27 loss to the Buckeyes in 2019.

“The Ohio State game was a huge negative for us,” Brown said earlier this year during a Zoom call with reporters. “I’m not going to live in that world. And I don’t want the players to live in that world. We acknowledge it, we move on from it, and hopefully I do a better job, because I don’t blame players for anything. You blame the old guy right here, OK? I’ve gotta do a better job getting our guys ready, and I’ll promise you I’m going to.”

As soon as the news made its way to social media, people started talking about it, as one Internet user speculated, "Question do you really believe he didn’t know. There are reports don brown told recruits he probably wasn’t going to be back and got to believe why we lost 2 defensive recruits. I don’t believe it was a secret he was gone." While another one said, "Don brown is gone. Michigan fired brown after one of michigan’s worst years on defense in awhile."

Another one questioned, "They really dismissed Don Brown from Michigan but Harbaugh is still there?? Scapegoat." While another one remembered Brown saying, "Don Brown best years was with Brady Hoke recruits! His defense sucked with NFL caliber players and his scheme was predictable and easy to game plan against. He made no in game adjustments and good teams shredded his defense!"