Nick Saban’s retirement announcement sent the sports world scrambling to contextualize the legacy he left while wondering what’s next for Alabama football. UA went to the bank.
Following a two-day search, Washington’s Kalen DeBoer was identified as the next head coach of the Crimson Tide. How much did it cost?
More than two months after his introductory press conference, the UA System trustee’s compensation committee ratified DeBoer’s contract. The full agreement will pay DeBoer $87 million for eight years.
He will earn $10 million in year one with an added $250 thousand annually. In the final year, 2031, DeBoer will be paid $11.75 million. The university was also required to buy out DeBoer’s Washington contract for $12 million.
“High-level investment from high-level coaches is an important part of the success that we’ve had in our department. I feel strongly that we continue to show that with the additional steps we’re taking today,” Tide athletic director Greg Byrne said.
Kalen DeBoer yearly salary
2024 – $10 million
2025 – $10.25 million
2026 – $10.5 million
2027 – $10.75 million
2028 – $11 million
2029 – $11.25 million
2030 – $11.5 million
2031 – $11.75 million
DeBoer earned $4.2 million from the Huskies last fall, 44th-most in the country, per USA Today’s database of public salaries. He turned down multiple contract extensions while leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship.
His 2023 figure places him sixth overall and second in the SEC, according to 2022 numbers. Saban, by comparison, earned $11.4 million in 2023, tops in the nation.
The modern economics of college football factored in the whirlwind of activity following Saban’s departure. DeBoer was among the first names rumored along with Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Florida State’s Mike Norvell, the latter of two received raises and extensions.
According to multiple outlets, FSU and Norvell agreed to a new, eight-year contract worth more than $10 million annually. Texas gave Sarkisian a four-year boost to his current deal (now set to run through 2030) and will start by making $10.3 million this year. Saban, DeBoer, Sarkisian and Norvell are each represented by mega agent Jimmy Sexton.
In addition to DeBoer’s contract, the committee approved deals for Byrne, basketball coach Nate Oats, two of his assistant coaches and 11 of DeBoer’s staff members as well as football general manager Courtney Morgan and strength coordinator David Ballou.
Alabama athletics spent over $212 million in fiscal year 2023, per documents obtained from AL.com via public records request. The Tide football program brought in $129,301,585 — a figure that Byrne said last week contributed to having “21 other sports” offered. (It should be noted that the University of Alabama is a nonprofit entity and can choose to fund other sports regardless of football’s financial output.)
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