Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has signed a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid coach in college football, with an annual salary of $13 million.
Georgia's Kirby Smart has agreed to a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid coach in college football, with an annual salary of $13 million.
The new deal, which runs through 2033, gives Smart a $1.75 million annual raise and ties him to the Bulldogs for the foreseeable future. He could also receive up to $1.55 million per year in bonuses based on the new 12-team playoff structure.
Smart, who has led Georgia to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, has compiled a dazzling record of 94-16 in his seven seasons at the helm. He has won a pair of SEC titles and finished in the Top 10 of the Associated Press rankings in each of the last seven seasons.
"I continue to be grateful and humbled by our administration's commitment to our football program," Smart said in a statement. "The current culture in collegiate athletics is everchanging and as challenging as it has ever been, so I truly appreciate the leadership that our team is continually provided."
Georgia also gave athletic director Josh Brooks a one-year extension to 2030 that raises his salary by $100,000 per year, taking it to $1.275 million. Brooks is also eligible for up to $200,000 in bonuses based on the overall performance of the athletic program.
Smart's new deal surpasses Clemson's Dabo Swinney, who is set to make $11 million in 2024, as the nation's highest-paid coach. It also replaces a 10-year extension worth more than $110 million that Smart signed in 2022 after winning his first national title. That contract started with $10.25 million in base salary and included annual raises taking the total compensation to $12.25 million in 2031.
Georgia President Jere W. Morehead praised Smart for his leadership and success. "He has excited the Bulldog nation about what is yet to come after winning two national championships," Morehead said.
Smart's Bulldogs are expected to remain a national championship contender in 2024, with a strong group of returning players led by quarterback Carson Beck. The Bulldogs have lost only two games in the last three seasons, both to Alabama and now-retired coach Nick Saban.
"With a strong group of returning players, led by quarterback Carson Beck, Georgia is expected to remain a leading national championship contender in 2024," the article concludes.
