Bret Bielema has filed a lawsuit against the Arkansas Razorback Foundation because of a dispute over the former head coach’s buyout. The suit Bielema has filed is for $7 million.

Bielema was fired by Arkansas in 2017 as he was leaving the field after the final game of the season — a 48-45 loss to Missouri. The Razorbacks finished the season 4-8 and Bielema ended his five-year run with the program with a 29-34 record.

From Saturday Down South:

Bielema’s suit argues that the Foundation breached its contractual obligation to pay his buyout of roughly $12 million, an agreement signed in January 2018 after Bielema’s dismissal following the 2017 football season. The Foundation has not paid Bielema arguing he has willfully refused to mitigate the amount of money owed to him. Coaches such as Bielema are expected to make reasonable efforts to find another job with that salary deducted from the buyout payments.

When Bielema landed a job in the NFL with the New England Patriots and was reportedly making over $50,000, the Arkansas Razorback Foundation stopped making payments to the former head coach. He has not received $7 million of the $12 million buyout, according to the lawsuit.

Bielema worked as a consultant to the head coach in New England in 2018 and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2019. Now he’s with the New York Giants as the outside linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant.

Prior to Bielema’s time at Arkansas, he served as the head coach at Wisconsin from 2006-12. He compiled a 68-24 record, won three-straight B1G championships (2010-12) and hit the 10-win mark four times.