For years Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was the clear No. 2 coach in the SEC, let alone college football. But with Nick Saban now gone from Alabama, the Bulldogs are doing what they can to ensure that their two-time title-winning coach stays with them for many years to come.
According to The Athletic’s Seth Emerson, Smart is receiving a two-year contract extension and raise that will make him the highest-paid coach in the sport. Per the report, his new annual salary is now $13 million per year plus $1.55 million in bonuses.
“News: Kirby Smart is receiving a two-year contract extension and a raise that will make him once again the highest-paid coach in college football. Two year extension through Dec. 2023, $1.75 million raise. Annual salary now $13 million per year, with bonuses up to $1.55 million,” Emerson wrote.
Smart isn’t the only one getting an extension and raise in Athens though. In a follow-up report, Emerson said that Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks is also receiving a new contract. Brooks’ deal now runs through 2030 and features a $1,275,000 base salary with bonuses of up to $200,000 per year.
In Smart’s eight years at the helm, the Bulldogs have never finished worse than second in the SEC East. They’ve reached the SEC Championship Game six games, winning it on two occasions.
Georgia has also reached the College Football Playoff on three occasions, reaching the national title game each time and winning two titles during Smart’s tenure. He is the only head coach to have won back-to-back national titles during the four-team format of the College Football Playoff.
Will Smart continue to dominate college football for the duration of this new contract?