The Laney College community was shaken on Thursday after reports emerged that former AD and head football coach John Beam had been shot near campus. With no confirmation yet on his condition, many are anxiously awaiting updates on the coach who helped define the program.

After an impressive 45-year run at Laney College as both athletic director and head football coach, John Beam recently stepped away from the program. He began his journey in 2004 as an RBs coach, moved to OC the following year, and played a key role in guiding the Eagles to three conference titles. In 2012, he took over as head coach, and six years later, Laney captured the state championship. Beam built his reputation on one thing: winning, the reason, he is widely regarded as the godfather of Oakland football. By 2019, Beam had reached his 40th year in coaching and his fifteenth at Laney, a period that earned national attention when the Eagles were featured in Season 5 of Netflix’s Last Chance U.

But Laney was not Beam’s first coaching stop. His coaching journey started in 1979 at Serra High School. Following that, in 1982, he joined Oakland Skyline High School as DC. He didn’t take much time to make his impact and was promoted to HC in 1987. The wins piled up fast: 15 league championships during his tenure. Between Skyline and Laney, Beam has mentored and produced more than 20 NFL players. With that, while his impact goes beyond the scoreboard, what about his contract details?

How much does John Beam earn as Laney College’s head coach and athletic director?

Details about Beam’s salary as Laney AD and HC have never been publicly released, likely due to privacy considerations and the nature of junior-college coaching contracts. But through public payroll databases like Transparent California and GovSalaries, a picture of Beam’s value in 2019 emerged. As an instructor with the Peralta Community College District, he earned roughly $234,055. That included a base salary of $135,531, along with benefits and additional pay.

It simply indicates that Beam’s career was about more than wins. “It was always about teaching young men and young women, student-athletes, how to fit into society and do certain things like be true to your word,” said Beam during his retirement. “Sometimes, young people feel like no one believes in them. Someone has to, so it might as well be me.” That philosophy carried him from Skyline to Laney College, and the results speak for themselves.

Beam produced seven Super Bowl competitors and guided athletes to championships at every level, from Division I to NFL Europe. “Being consistent with them, being honest, not being afraid to tell them the truth about what they’re doing or not doing,” said Beam, referring to the secret behind his success.

Still, the most interesting fact is that trophies aren’t his legacy. As he said, “My legacy is going to be the young people. That’s going to be my legacy. I want it to live and breathe.” With a legacy like his, he’ll definitely be remembered by the sports community.

What are Coach John Beam’s contract details and coaching benefits?

As both HC and AD at a public community college, his contract details remain under wraps, but his coaching journey is crystal clear. After stacking trophies and talent, Beam felt the itch for a new challenge. “I was trying to chase that D1 dream. Got a couple [of] offers,” admitted Beam. But he chose to stay rooted in Oakland and build something even bigger. That decision led him to Laney College, and his reputation only grew.

Players raved about the culture he created. “I always heard about the legacy,” said WR Daveonne Sanders. “Being from Oakland, I might as well see what the lineage is about, and it’s lived up to the hype.” But Beam’s greatest wins were off the field.

After Beam helped guide his older brother toward opportunities, DB coach Maamaloa Mafi recalled meeting him at 7 YO. “Beam found my brother and said, ‘Come play for me. I can help you out,'” said Mafi. “He had a good hand in helping us get recruited, helping us with our grades, helping us get these degrees.” Following that, all six Mafi brothers played for Beam. Now, you can imagine John Beam’s impact on and off the field.

What is John Beam’s net worth in 2025?

Although the net worth of this Oakland legend is not available publicly, his loyalty to Oakland stands out. Although offers to coach at Division I schools came his way, he stayed, choosing Oakland over prestige. Considering his dedication to the community, the Times-Herald dubbed him the “godfather of football in Oakland.” Beam went out of his way to help players, even those not on his team. After making a dynasty with Skyline High School, finishing with a staggering 160-33-3 record, he moved to Laney.

When Netflix called Laney College a “last chance” school, Beam pushed back, stating, “We’re not ‘Last Chance U.’ We’re your first chance. We’re your Best Chance U.nou” Laney boasts a 90 percent graduation and transfer rate under Beam. Besides, his track record of producing NFL talent speaks for itself. Fans are now eagerly hoping for news about the well-being of this incredible community pillar.