After leading the Georgia Bulldogs to the school's first National Championship since 1980, Kirby Smart has been given a contract extension. The two sides came to terms and made the announcement official around lunch time today (July 21, 2022), Smart's new contract will be a 10 year deal giving him $112.5 million of the length of the contract.
From what I can find through my research across the web, this will be the largest contract ever paid to a college football coach. This new contract makes him the highest paid coach in the SEC, obviously, leapfrogging Nick Saban. Saban has an interesting clause in his contract that guarantees his salary can be adjusted as the coaching market changes, so look to see his contract adjust to reflect the new top notch on the coaching contract market.
Highest Paid SEC Head Coaches
Kirby Smart, Georgia, $11.2 million per year
Nick Saban, Alabama, $10.6 million per year
Brian Kelly, LSU, $9.5 million per year
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M, $9 million per year
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss, $7.2 million per year
Billy Napier, Florida, $7.1 million per year
Mark Stoops, Kentucky, $6.7 million per year
Sam Pittman, Arkansas, $6 million per year
Mike Leach, Mississippi State, $5.5 million per year
Bryan Harsin, Auburn, $5 million per year
Josh Heupel, Tennessee, $4 million per year
Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri, $3.9 million per year
Shane Beamer, South Carolina, $2.7 million per year
Clark Lea, Vanderbilt, $2.5 million per year
Kirby Smart Resume
Coach Smart took over the head coaching duties for the Georgia Bulldogs on December 6, 2015. Previously he had been on Alabama's coaching staff as the defensive coordinator.
Since becoming the Bulldog's head coach, he has landed a Top 10 recruiting class each season, twice receiving the number one recruiting class ranking according to 247Sports.
SEC Coach of the Year - 2017, 2021
SEC Champions 2017
SEC East Division Champions - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
College Football Playoff National Champions 2021