The coaching talent in college football is a hit or miss. This has led to the programs who do have dependable coaches to lock them down with revised long term contracts with expensive buyouts. DeBoer is no Saban. But he could be a lot worse as last year’s coaching carousel showed us. On Wednesday, the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee gave the green light to 13 coaches and staffers, including a revised contract for DeBoer.

The university confirmed a 7-year extension for Kalen DeBoer, which will pay him $12.5 million annually. But the most interesting part of his contract is the buyout structure. Just a few months ago, rumors linked his name to openings at Michigan and Penn State. He didn’t interview, but in this sport, anything can happen. Alabama saw the risk and acted before someone else could.

So now, if anyone wants to poach Kalen DeBoer, it’ll cost $10 million through January 2027. That drops to $8 million the next year, then $6 million in 2029. After that, the leash loosens. This is a strategic move, because before this deal, the exit price was incredibly low.

We’re talking $3-4 million to pull a sitting Alabama head coach. That’s easy for programs with rich booster collectives to poach him. The 51-year-old’s new extension not only rewarded him but also raised the barrier to entry. It also tells you how the program views him internally. His salary gets a $2 million increase from his previous $10.5 million annually.

Then there’s the firing clause, which states that if Alabama fires Kalen DeBoer without cause, it owes him 90% of the remaining deal. That’s roughly $67.5 million in guaranteed money. So despite the outside noise, the school isn’t planning on making that call anytime soon. And there’s no reason for them to do so, considering he’s 20-8 in two seasons.

Last year, Alabama went 11-4, made the playoffs, beat Oklahoma on the road, and then got steamrolled by eventual national champ Indiana in the Rose Bowl. That loss was ugly, but if you step back and see the bigger picture, he handled the post-Nick Saban transition with stability. But again, this new extension means pressure because now the expectation is that he should do better than the last two years.   

When you hand a deal running through 2033, you’re not paying for “almost” seasons. Championships and SEC titles are part of the expectation. Everyone, including Kalen DeBoer, knows it. 

“This University has become a special place to [my family and I], and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football,” he said after the new contract. “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.”

Giving such big contracts to coaches who haven’t won championships is not a new thing. Brian Kelly was originally hired in 2022 by LSU on a $95 million deal. Kelly was then fired in October 2025 with six years remaining. His contract guaranteed 90% of his remaining salary, leading to a $54 million buyout, the second-largest in the sport’s history.

But the bottom of the barrel is reserved for the Aggies. In 2021, Jimbo Fisher signed a 10-year, $95 million fully guaranteed extension to fend off interest from other programs. When he was fired without cause in November 2023, the university was forced to pay a record shattering $76.8 million buyout. This included a $19.2 million lump sum within 60 days, followed by annual payments of $7.2 million through 2031. Crucially, his deal had no offset language, meaning he receives every penny even if he takes another job.

While DeBoer’s contract was the main event, the board also approved revisions for several other key staff member.

Alabama doubles down on staff contracts 

While Kalen DeBoer got the spotlight, this wasn’t a one-contract day. The Alabama board also approved the deals of new hires like Adrian Klemm, Derrick Nix, and Richard Owens. Klemm, notably, is on a one-year, $600,000 deal. DC Kane Wommack is locked in through 2029, with his salary climbing to $2.65 million in the final year. 

And GM Courtney Morgan is now pulling in $1.2 million annually. Altogether, Alabama’s on-field staff will make over $11.2 million this season. Factor in performance and support roles, and that number jumps north of $14 million. Still, not everyone got new deals.

Ryan Grubb, Robert Gillespie, and Freddie Roach are still on contracts through 2027, but even that feels calculated. Alabama kept flexibility where it wanted it because this entire move was about control over the staff, starting with Kalen DeBoer.