Alabama and football coach Kalen DeBoer agree to new contract extension

Alabama and football coach Kalen DeBoer agreed to a new seven-year contract that raised his annual salary to $12.5 million and doubled his buyout if he left the Crimson Tide within the next three years.

The deal, which was approved Wednesday in a virtual meeting of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees compensation committee, made DeBoer one of the top 5 highest-paid coaches in college football. His original agreement was extended by two years to now end January 31, 2033.

The new contract includes a $10 million buyout if DeBoer wants to leave on or before January 31, 2027. After that date, his personal buyout decreases by $2 million per year, putting it at $8 million through January 31, 2028, and $6 million through January 31, 2029. There is no buyout if DeBoer leaves after that date.

Under his previous agreement, DeBoer would have owed $5 million if he left Alabama before the end of January 2027. His buyout dropped to $4 million a year later and $3 million after the 2028 season. The two sides began working on a deal when DeBoer’s name was linked to job openings at Penn State and Michigan.

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension,” DeBoer said in a statement. “This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football.

“This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”

Alabama would owe DeBoer 90% of his remaining compensation if it fired him without cause, which was the same under his previous contract. The deal does not include a duty to mitigate clause, meaning Alabama would still owe DeBoer that amount if he were fired without cause and got another job.

Under his original deal at Alabama, DeBoer was set to make $10.5 million in 2026. The new deal put him among Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, LSU’s Lane Kiffin and Ohio State’s Ryan Day as one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. They are the only five known to make at least $12.5 million per year.

DeBoer, 51, has a 20-8 record in two seasons after taking over for Nick Saban. This past season, Alabama finished 11-4 and went to the College Football Playoff. After beating Oklahoma 34-24 on the road in the first round, the Crimson Tide lost 38-3 to eventual national champion Indiana in the quarterfinals.

“We are pleased to extend coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in a statement. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes.”

DeBoer told On3’s Chris Low this spring that he was aware of Michigan’s interest in him after the firing of Sherrone Moore. But DeBoer said he never spoke to Michigan or had any discussions with school representatives.

“I didn’t come here to follow coach Saban only to turn around after two years and go somewhere else,” DeBoer told Low. “I mean, this is Alabama. I’m at an amazing place. That’s the way I was looking at it. I chose to be here. I love the support and love our players and love the direction and everything the staff has done to put the pieces together here over the last two years. A lot of heavy lifting’s been done to get us to this point.

“That will continue to happen. But man, we’re right here where we want to be, and I plan on being here for a while.”