Kalen DeBoer and the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees made the Alabama football head coach’s contract extension official on Wednesday.
DeBoer signed a seven-year contract that will take him through the beginning of 2033 with an annual salary of $12.5 million, a $2 million increase from what he was set to make in 2026.
Alabama director of athletics Greg Byrne noted that DeBoer’s extension includes a $10 million buyout through January 31, 2027. This figure will drop to $8 million the following year, then to $6 million through January 2029, before phasing out to zero for the remaining four years of the agreement.
The buyout of DeBoer’s new contract is double his previous contract if he leaves for another school. If DeBoer is fired by the school, he would receive 90% of his remaining salary regardless of whether he finds employment at another school.
“My family and I would like to thank the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Trant, President Mohler, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, our athletics administration and football staff, this community and the University for their continued support of Alabama Football,” DeBoer said in a statement.
“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension," he added. "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.”
His contract includes incentives that would earn him additional money. This portion of his contract also saw significant increases from the previous contract.
Under the terms of his new agreement, DeBoer has seen some of his performance bonuses for coaching accolades doubled. He will now receive $50,000 for being named SEC Coach of the Year (up from $25,000) and $100,000 for winning a National Coach of the Year award (up from $50,000).
Other performance incentives in his contract include $100,000 for making the SEC championship game or $200,000 for winning it.
Under the new contract, DeBoer's incentives for College Football Playoff success are tiered as follows: $300,000 for a playoff appearance, $600,000 for reaching the semifinals, $800,000 for advancing to the national championship game, and $1.65 million for winning the title.
Entering his third season as head coach, Kalen DeBoer has guided the Crimson Tide to a 20-8 overall record across his first two years. During the 2025 campaign, Alabama reached the SEC Championship Game and secured a victory over Oklahoma in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, before concluding its season with a loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal.
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