Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer have agreed on a contract extension that includes a large raise, the school announced Wednesday.
At a trustee compensation meeting on Wednesday, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne announced that DeBoer received a seven-year extension (two extra years) that runs through 2033, with an annual salary of $12.5 million, a $2 million raise from what he was scheduled to make this season.
If DeBoer leaves Alabama, it comes with a buyout provision of $10 million in January 2027, $8 million in January 2028 and then $6 million in January 2029. If Alabama fires DeBoer, it’ll owe him 90 percent of his remaining contract with no duty to mitigate.
Notably, the DeBoer contract extension item was added late to the meeting’s agenda. There had long been an expectation that DeBoer would receive a raise after receiving interest from Michigan for its open position following Sherrone Moore’s dismissal. But it was interesting that even after Alabama officials said contract negotiations were taking place back in December that they weren’t finalized and announced until late April.
“We are pleased to extend Coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” said Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes. Thanks to President Mohler, Chancellor Trant and our Board of Trustees for their support and approval of this extension.”
The raise makes DeBoer one of the top five highest-paid coaches in college football, behind Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, LSU’s Lane Kiffin and tied with Ohio State’s Ryan Day. Three of those four coaches are national championship winners while LSU won the Kiffin sweepstakes in December over incumbent Ole Miss and competitor Florida.
College football’s five highest-paid coaches
| Rank | Coach | School | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curt Cignetti | Indiana | $13.2 million |
| 2 | Kirby Smart | Georgia | $13 million |
| 3 | Lane Kiffin | LSU | $13 million |
| T-4 | Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | $12.5 million |
| T-4 | Ryan Day | Ohio State | $12.5 million |
Since taking over for Nick Saban, DeBoer is 20-8 overall and 12-4 in the SEC in two seasons with the Crimson Tide. In 2025, Alabama finished 11-4 and reached the CFP quarterfinals with a road win over Oklahoma. Indiana beat Alabama, 38-3, in the Rose Bowl on the Hoosiers’ way to a national championship.
In addition to DeBoer, Alabama gave new contracts and raises to several assistants and team personnel. General manager Courtney Morgan remained one of the highest-paid personnel executives in college football with a new three-year deal that pays him $1.2 million annually.
Kalen DeBoer as an FBS coach
| Team | Season | Overall | Conference | Finish | Bowl/Playoff | AP Rank | Coaches Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno State | 2020 | 3–3 | 3–3 | T–5th | — | — | — |
| Fresno State | 2021 | 9–3 | 6–2 | 2nd | New Mexico Bowl | — | — |
| Washington | 2022 | 11–2 | 7–2 | T–2nd | W Alamo | 8 | 8 |
| Washington | 2023 | 14–1 | 9–0 | 1st | W Sugar†, L CFP NCG† | 2 | 2 |
| Alabama | 2024 | 9–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | L ReliaQuest | 17 | 17 |
| Alabama | 2025 | 11–4 | 7–1 | T–1st | W CFP First Round†, L Rose† | 9 |
