P.J. Fleck

University of Minnesota head football coach P.J. Fleck. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

(Jim Mone)

Speculation swirled around the Western Michigan football organization all last fall about how much P.J. Fleck was worth and how much a new contract would cost.

Fleck left to coach at Minnesota shortly after taking a loss at the Cotton Bowl with the Broncos in January, but he gave a hint about that proposed offer Thursday on the Jim Rome radio show.

"It's about the dream," Fleck told Rome. "I took a major pay cut to come to Minnesota. A lot of people don't know that."

Fleck on Jim Rome:"It's about the dream. I took a major pay cut to come to Minnesota. A lot of people don't know that." — Connor Stevens (@CStevensTGR) April 6, 2017

The details of that contract were never made public because it was never signed, Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard told MLive at the time.

Fleck signed a five-year, $18.5 million deal with Minnesota for a base salary of $3.5 million for his first season.

He was earning just over $800,000 at the time as head coach of the Broncos with incentives that could take him over the $1 million mark.

Beauregard said in January that Western Michigan provided Fleck with an "incredible offer" to stay.

After his departure, Fleck worked with Western Michigan to secure the rights to the phrase "Row the Boat" as well as taking care of his contractual obligation to the school. He made a $600,000 payment for leaving the school early and $50,000 will be given to the school for scholarships in exchange for the popular phrase.