Report: Kevin Warren credited with $3.7 million in compensation from Big Ten in 2022

For just over three years, Kevin Warren was the Big Ten commissioner. He left in favor of the Chicago Bears right around when the calendar flipped to 2023, getting back into the NFL. However, Warren was still paid a nice chunk of money from the conference in his last full year there.

Warren was “credited” with $3.7 million from the Big Ten during 2022 according to Steve Berkowitz of the USA TODAY. The records are just now being released despite Warren leaving the conference over a year ago.

“Former BIG commissioner Kevin Warren credited with $3.7 million in total compensation for 2022 calendar year,” Berkowitz said via X.

The Big Ten went through multiple stages in Warren’s time as commissioner. Multiple big moments for the conference occurred, both short and long-term.

COVID-19 was a huge hurdle Warren had to overcome, attempting to find a way to play Big Ten football during the fall. He was successful in getting games played, with a Big Ten Championship taking place in Indianapolis. Ohio State even made the College Football Playoff and national championship game before losing to Alabama.

Warren oversaw the Big Ten’s current expansion as well. Originally, only USC and UCLA were slated to join beginning with the 2024 football season. But Warren made the decision to bring Oregon and Washington into the boat when the Pac-12 was falling a part, making it four total expansion teams.

The Big Ten also signed a new media rights deal under Warren’s leadership. Games of multiple sports are now broadcast on FOX, CBS, and NBC for somewhere around $8 billion. You can certainly say the Big Ten’s future was shaped by Warren and his decisions on multiple different fronts.

Warren is not with the conference anymore but he is still certainly in Big Ten country with the Bears. Many are still rooting for Warren to have success and bring a championship back to Chicago for the first time since 1985.

He even selected a quarterback from USC with the No. 1 overall pick just a few weeks ago — Caleb Williams. And while Williams might have played the last two seasons with a Pac-12 logo on his chest, Lincoln Riley will become a Big Ten coach on July 1.

Connections are all around the place for Warren, even over a year removed. He was certainly compensated well for his final year in charge of the Big Ten.