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Kalen DeBoer contract details: Buyout, bonuses and perks for new Alabama coach
Kalen DeBoer's contract details were made public on Monday.
Kalen DeBoer will get a monthly phone stipend and access to a private jet in Tuscaloosa. Such is life for an Alabama head football coach.
DeBoer has been on the job for two months, hitting the recruiting trail and starting spring practice. However, on Monday, Nick Saban’s successor had his contract accepted by the UA System board of trustee’s compensation committee.
Through public records requests, outlets, including AL.com, confirmed DeBoer’s eight-year, $87 million agreement with the university.
DeBoer’s contract will run through Dec. 31, 2031. Compensation will start at $10 million annually and increase by $250,000, topping at $11.75 million in his final season. By comparison, Saban’s first coaching contract with the Tide in 2007 was for eight years and $32 million.
Should DeBoer be fired “without cause,” he will earn 90 percent of his remaining deal in monthly installments through the end of his contract term. If DeBoer terminates the contract, Alabama is owed a $5 million buyout in 2024, $4 million in 2025 and $3 million in 2026. From 2027-31, there is no payment owed from DeBoer to the school.
Some perks come with being the head football coach of the Crimson Tide and here’s some of what DeBoer and agent Jimmy Sexton negotiated for:
- DeBoer will be paid a bonus of $75,000 if Alabama reaches a Southeastern Conference championship game. That will boost to $125,000 if UA wins.
- A berth in the impending 12-team College Football Playoff will lead to a $150,000 bonus, scaling to $250,000 for a quarterfinals appearance, $400,000 for a semifinals run, $600,000 for making the national title game and $875,000 should Alabama win it all.
- Alabama promises to give DeBoer a minimum assistant salary pool of at least $9.17 million for 10 on-field assistants. The university approved 11 contracts today for DeBoer coaches, but special teams coordinator Jay Nunez is not expected to have an on-the-field role.
- DeBoer is in line for $50,000 if Alabana’s football team has a graduation rate in the top half of the SEC and $100,000 if it falls in the top four.
- If DeBoer is named coach Southeastern Conference coach of the year by his counterparts he will be awarded $25,000. If DeBoer wins a national coach of the year award — he was recognized by the Associated Press and Sporting News last year — he gets an added $50,000.
- DeBoer has a year automobile allowance of $16,800. Like other Alabama head coaches, DeBoer will have a monthly cell phone stipend of $225.
- DeBoer will have a skybox in Bryant-Denny Stadium for each Alabama home game with parking passes and 15 tickets. For road games, DeBoer’s “spouse and dependents” can travel at no cost to DeBoer.
- UA will pay DeBoer’s monthly membership to North River Yacht Club or another golf and country club in Tuscaloosa County. However, DeBoer will have to pay for his own drinks and food.
- DeBoer will have access to a “non-commercial airline airplane” up to 30 hours of flight time each season for personal use. The hours do not roll over.
