Jerome Tang’s $18.7 million buyout in question as K-State fires him ‘for cause’

One of the biggest questions surrounding Jerome Tang’s dismissal as Kansas State men’s basketball coach is the status of his buyout.

The Wildcats would owe Tang a huge sum of $18.7 million if he is fired “without cause.” But his exit payment could potentially drop to zero if he is fired “for cause.”

K-State athletic director Gene Taylor confirmed at a news conference Sunday night the program will attempt to fire Tang “for cause.”

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,” Taylor said in a statement released earlier Sunday. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

According to a copy of Tang’s contract, he can be fired “for cause” if he does something that brings “public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule” to Kansas State. Tang said in a statement he disagrees with K-State’s characterization of his firing.

Tang was recently criticized nationally for his tirade following a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati.

“These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform,” Tang said after the game. “There will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university. I’m embarrassed for our fans and our student section. It is just ridiculous.”

He wasn’t done.

“These dudes have got to get some pride. It means something to wear a K-State uniform,” Tang said. “It means something to put on this purple and everything this university is about and all that it has been about and why I love this place. They don’t love this place, so they don’t deserve to be here.”

Taylor said those comments were a final straw, of sorts, that led to this coaching change.

“His comments about the student athletes,” Taylor said, “and the negative reaction to those comments from a lot of sources, both nationally and locally, is where I thought we needed to make this decision ... What he said about the student athletes really concerned me.”

Did those comments bring “public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule” to the university?

That could be for a judge to decide.

Tang will almost certainly try to recoup as much of his $18.7 million as possible in court. That could lead to a messy debate that involves lawyers. Or both sides could settle on a different number out of court.

It may be a while before we learn the full financial details of Tang’s exit.

K-State (10-15, 1-11 Big 12) is currently in last place of the conference standings and off to its worst start ever in league play. It has lost six straight games. During that losing streak, the Wildcats lost three consecutive home games by at least 24 points.

Fans protested against Tang during the team’s past home game by wearing brown paper bags over their heads in the student section at Bramlage Coliseum.

Tang spent nearly four seasons in charge of the K-State men’s basketball team. He had an overall record of 71-57. He was hired to replace Bruce Weber in 2022, and he found immediate success in Year 1. He led the Wildcats to 26 victories and a trip to the Elite Eight that season.

After spending the past two decades as an assistant coach at Baylor, it seemed like a star head coach was born.

The Wildcats rewarded Tang with a pair of contract extensions early in his tenure, which raised his current salary to $3.6 million. His buyout also ballooned to $18.7 million, which is what K-State would’ve owed Tang had he been fired without cause.

But he was fired for cause on Sunday. Now, his buyout figures could be for attorneys to decide.

This story was originally published February 15, 2026 at 8:08 PM.

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.