After worst postseason defeat in school history, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer gets 7-year contract extension and pay raise
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Kalen DeBoer has a new contract at Alabama.
Alabama’s Board of Trustees approved new contracts for DeBoer and numerous other coaches Wednesday, including men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats. DeBoer’s new deal pays him $12.5 million per season for the next seven seasons.
It’s a $2 million raise from the $10.5 million he was set to make in 2026 as part of his previous deal and puts DeBoer just behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart and LSU’s Lane Kiffin among the highest-paid coaches in the SEC. DeBoer’s buyout will be $10 million through January 2027.
Alabama made the College Football Playoff in 2025 after missing out in DeBoer’s first season in 2024. However, the season ended ignominiously as the Tide were blown out by eventual national champion Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The 38-3 defeat was the worst postseason loss in Alabama history.
The 2025 season was an uneven one for the Crimson Tide. Alabama lost at Florida State in Week 1 before reeling off eight straight wins in a streak that included victories over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. Alabama then lost to Oklahoma, but made it to the SEC title game and was soundly defeated 28-7 by Georgia.
That loss seemingly left Alabama on the precipice of missing the playoff for a second straight season. However, the Tide didn’t move from No. 9 in the final set of CFP rankings. That set up a rematch with Oklahoma, which Alabama beat to advance to the Rose Bowl against Indiana.
The Tide finished the season 11-4 after going 9-4 in 2024, which included a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan. Though DeBoer inherited a program with impossible standards set by former Alabama coach Nick Saban, Alabama’s eight losses over the 2024 and 2025 seasons match the total of losses by the Crimson Tide from 2019-23.
As Alabama dealt with the aftermath of its SEC title game loss to Georgia and Michigan was in the midst of an unplanned coaching search following the firing of Sherrone Moore, DeBoer was mentioned as a candidate for the Wolverines’ opening.
However, DeBoer said in a statement via Alabama’s NIL collective that he was happy in Tuscaloosa and had no interest in any other job. Michigan went on to hireformer Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.
After Alabama made the Sweet 16 in the 2026 NCAA tournament, Oats’ new deal goes through the 2031-32 season and averages $7.25 million per season.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos