This isn’t entirely true. John Rauch, Lou Saban II, Chuck Knox, and Marv Levy were all at or near the top of head coaching salaries. And at one time or another he had the highest paid players at their respective positions in the league, not the least of which was Kelly who he made the highest paid player in history at the time.
He often rewarded successful coaches and players. Had any of his cheaper coaching hires had panned out, he would have awarded them as well, imo.