They say loyalty’s dead in college football—and most days, it feels like it. Players bounce for the bag; coaches dip for better seats at richer tables. But on June 3rd, Kirby Smart dropped a nugget that turned heads, not with a flip or firing—but by getting real about his future at Georgia. And just as the dust started to settle, he doubled down with a monster move for the Bulldogs’ next-gen defense. Let’s just say Minkah Fitzpatrick’s little brother isn’t rolling with Alabama.

Kirby Smart’s contract got folks talking—but he’s not going anywhere. The Bulldogs’ head coach didn’t have to say a word. He is sitting on back-to-back national championships, more SEC titles than most programs, and a $130 million deal that runs all the way to 2033. But on the Rick Burgess Show, he opened the door to the drama. When Burgess brought up loyalty, Kirby Smart didn’t flinch.

“And look, I want to be clear—the first thing I hear from people is, ‘Well, well, you know, Coach Smart can go anywhere he wants to go anytime he wants.’ No, I can’t,” he said, shooting down the popular belief that head coaches have unlimited mobility. Let’s talk numbers: $118.1 million. That’s what it’d take to yank Kirby out of Athens before 2028 without cause. He’s got the biggest buyout in college football—by far. That’s more than double what most coaches would ever dream of. In fact, it’s $48 million higher than Kalen DeBoer’s over at Alabama.

Kirby Smart doubles down: “If we had contracts—I think all the coaches would be really happy if it was a binding contract, you know, with what they call liquidated damages and things like that, where it’s hard.” He explained that, unlike players, coaches are tied to binding contracts—often with steep financial penalties for leaving early. In fact, he said most coaches would welcome a similar setup for players, where commitments actually hold weight.

“The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle—because it is a business.” While fans and critics argue about who has more freedom, Smart’s saying the system cuts both ways—and neither side has it as easy as it looks. Translation? Fans think these HCs can just pack up and go, but it’s not that simple. Smart made it clear: he’s locked in. No secret interviews. No behind-the-scenes moves. Georgia’s got him, and they’re paying a premium to make sure he stays planted.

Smart’s résumé speaks louder than any rumor. When you win 100 games before you hit 20 losses, people listen when you talk. Kirby’s 105–19 overall. Three SEC titles. Two national championships. A 9–3 bowl record. And now? He’s eyeing legacy mode. 2024 saw him become the fifth-fastest coach in FBS history to hit that 100-win mark. The Bulldogs might’ve stumbled against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, but the bigger picture? Georgia isn’t going anywhere.

Kirby Smart’s not just stacking wins. He’s building monsters. NFL monsters. And now, he might have scored one of his biggest potential recruiting wins.

Kirby Smart locks in on Minkah Fitzpatrick’s little brother

In what’s shaping up to be another top-tier recruiting cycle, Georgia just bagged a future lockdown corner with serious NFL bloodlines. Justice Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, officially committed to the Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Fitzpatrick is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound phenom out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale—a high school factory for D1 stars. He’s ranked the No. 7 cornerback in the country and the No. 64 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle. The dude had offers from everybody. Florida. Texas. Miami. Ohio State. And yeah—Alabama (where his big bro was a menace).

But Justice said nope. He’s going with Kirby. Why? A big part of it is trust. Kirby Smart coached Minkah Fitzpatrick at Alabama. They built something real. And now, the younger Fitzpatrick wants to grow under the same man. That relationship clearly mattered because Justice passed on playing at his brother’s alma mater. That’s no small thing. It’s a torch-passing moment.

Fitzpatrick’s commitment gives Georgia their 12th pledge for the 2026 class, locking them in at No. 5 nationally per On3. And with Kirby’s track record at developing DBs into NFL studs—see: Starks, Cine, Baker, Ringo—the pipeline’s only getting scarier.

With Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson heading to the league, and Joenel Aguero and Daylen Everette not far behind, Georgia needs a new alpha in the secondary. Kirby Smart knows the SEC’s becoming the Wild West, with NIL deals, transfer drama, and coaching turnover heating up every year. Snagging a guy like Justice Fitzpatrick shows that Georgia’s not just reacting—they’re setting the tone.

And now? Kirby’s got his guy on lockdown. His job? Cement the Fitzpatrick name in red and black history—not crimson. If Kirby Smart wanted to make a statement, he didn’t just talk about loyalty—he showed it. And Fitzpatrick answered the call.