78.2 F
Mobile
75.3 F
Huntsville
75.5 F
Birmingham
68.6 F
Montgomery

UA Board of Trustees approves Saban contract extension; Legendary coach to average $10.6M annually

The University of Alabama Board of Trustees on Monday officially approved head football coach Nick Saban’s contract extension, which will bring the seven-time national champion coach’s salary to an average of $10.6 million per season.

The contract extension announced in June became official this week as the UA System Board of Trustees convened a meeting at which it approved extensions for Saban and 10 other Crimson Tide athletics head coaches.

Under the new terms, the deal will keep Saban roaming the sidelines of Bryant-Denny Stadium through the 2028 season. He is set to earn $11.5 million during the final year of the deal and $84.8 million throughout the lifetime of the contract. Saban will once again stand alone as the only coach in NCAA history to surpass $10 million in annual recurring compensation.

Saban’s first contract at the University of Alabama in 2007 was worth $4 million a year. Since then, his salary has kept pace with the football program’s accolades. In 14 years at the helm, the 69-year-old Saban has led the Tide to eight national championship appearances, winning six of them.

When the terms of the extension were announced in June, Saban expressed his appreciation to the university.

“Terry and I are pleased and happy to sign another contract extension that will keep us in Tuscaloosa through the end of our career,” said Saban. “Our family calls Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama home, it’s a place where our roots now run deep. This agreement gives us the chance to continue to impact the lives of the young men and their families who choose to play football and get an education at Alabama. We want to thank the Board of Trustees, Chancellor St. John, President Bell, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, our athletics administration, the football staff and the whole University community for their support.”

The Sabans have brought more than title rings to Tuscaloosa. They are known for their generosity in giving back to the community they’ve called home now for nearly 15 years.

Nick and Terry Saban’s charitable organization, the Nick’s Kids Foundation, in coordination with Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa, recently assisted in building its 18th home for a family in need, signifying one home for each national title the Crimson Tide have claimed throughout its football program’s storied history.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL

Don’t miss out!  Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.