Charlotte football coaches ditch boycott plan, switch to silent protests over pay
Last week, The Observer reported that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ football coaches were planning to make a protest over a lack of pay.
That protest could have included sitting out a game on a Friday night.
But after CMS assuaged some of their concerns — indicating that the district was studying pay and actively working on a budget proposal — the coaches decided against the game boycott.
Instead, they’ve decided to stage a silent protest for the remainder of the regular-season.
On Friday, CMS coaches wore shirts that read “Pay The Coaches” on the front and “Coaching For Change” on the back. The coaches plan to wear them again this week.
They say they are doing this to keep the issue front and center.
“I think every coach in CMS had a united front to stand together and have a collective voice,” South Mecklenburg’s Joe Evans said. “I (am) never really surprised when people are unaware (of the pay issues), because they’re not in your shoes. This is bringing some awareness and I think it’s a great cause.”
The pay issue
CMS coaches across all sports have not gotten a pay increase since 2018, when, for example, a football coach’s stipend — paid in addition to the teacher’s salary — went from $4,172 to $5,006. That amount, however, is paid as a bonus and taxed at nearly 50%. That’s something coaches hope to change.
And before 2018, coaches had gone nearly 14 years without a stipend increase.
“As a group,” Hough coach Shawn Baker said, “we got together and talked about something that we wanted to change. As a whole, we did it together. It’s something we feel strongly about. We do a lot for these kids and the programs and the schools.
“Everybody knows how important football is.”
As of April 2025, no Mecklenburg County coach ranked among the top 100 in North Carolina in terms of total pay, according to an Observer study published last spring. The highest CMS coach was ranked No. 118.
Mecklenburg County and Wake County are the two largest school systems in North Carolina. Wake County, according to The Observer study, has nine coaches making more than the highest paid coach in Mecklenburg.
Neighbors dwarfing CMS in pay
Just to the north of the county, Cabarrus County — a much smaller system than CMS — pays its coaches considerably more.
In 2016, when CMS coaches were making just over $4,000 in stipends, Cabarrus County was paying more than $7,000.
Last year, Cabarrus County gave coaches a raise and adopted a system of pay that rewards seniority, something the CMS coaches also want to see in Charlotte.
Cabarrus County football coaches with 0-4 years experience now get $5,325; 5-8 years is $6,500; 9-12 years is $7,895; and 13-above is $9,450. That approaches double what CMS coaches like Baker and Evans receive.
“I think it’s starting to open people’s eyes about what we get paid,” Baker said, “and the time we put in.”
Baker said, for example, he’s at school every day, shortly after 6 a.m. Most of his weekdays, in season, are longer than 12 hours.
“And I drive the bus, teach class, check on grades,” he said, “dealing with recruiting and things like that.
“We’re just trying to have a moment (to let) people know what we do.”
‘Don’t want quality to go down’
Part of the coaches’ plea, they say, is to keep more good coaches in the district.
Charlotte has lost seven-time state champion Tom Knotts of West Charlotte and Independence; three-time state champion Mike Palmieri of Mallard Creek; and state finalist Aaron Brand of Chambers to S.C. and Georgia high schools over pay.
All three men are still coaching and leading winning programs.
Meanwhile, local coaches said losing that type of talent hurts the overall brand of football in Charlotte at a time when the talent level is higher than ever before.
For example, there were 14 Charlotte players on opening day NFL rosters this year, fifth-most of any city in America.
“The top issue for us,” said Mallard Creek coach Kennedy Tinsley, “is we don’t want the quality of coaching to go down — and we’re starting to see that. Our assistant coaches can make more money doing other things. But we want quality coaches in these kids’ lives.
“We can keep those quality coaches if we value the jobs they are doing.”
Independence’s DJ McFadden, a former two-time state championship quarterback at his school, said he’s optimistic things will get better and that the coaches’ push is working.
“I think....CMS has recognized what our situation is,” he said. “And I think they’ll do what is right. I don’t expect it to happen overnight, but I really believe they have a better understanding now and will make an effort to improve things.
“This is a seven-day-a-week job. We impact a lot more than the football team. The football program has a big impact on the whole building.”
Staff writer Steve Lyttle and correspondent Richard Walker contributed to this article
This story was originally published October 21, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
