Josh Heupel has agreed to a contract extension through the end of the 2029 season, Tennessee announced Tuesday.
The extension, Heupel's third since taking the job before the 2021 season, will keep him under contract through January 2030. Each previous extension also increased Heupel's contract by one year. Financial terms were not disclosed. He will make $9 million this year.
"The revival of our football program under Josh's leadership has made everyone in Big Orange Country proud to be a Vol," AD Danny White said. "Josh has brought Tennessee Football back to its rightful place among the nation's elite programs, and he and his staff have fostered a positive culture within the team. Our commitment to supporting Josh and his staff remains strong and unwavering."
Heupel is 37-15 heading into his fifth season on the job. Following a 7-6 debut, Heupel went 11-2 with a win over ACC champion Clemson in the Orange Bowl, a year that saw the Vols earn their highest year-end rank (No. 6) since the 1998 national championship. His contract, which originally ran through the 2027 season, was extended before and after that season.
Tennessee went 9-4 in 2023, then reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2024. Heupel also halted Tennessee's record 15-game losing streak to Alabama with a 52-49 win in 2022, and the Vols scored a 24-17 win over Alabama again last year. His 37 wins are the third-most by a Tennessee head coach through four seasons, and his .712 winning percentage is the second-highest by a Vols head coach in the past five decades.
"I greatly appreciate the support of Danny White, President Boyd and Chancellor Plowman," Heupel said. "During an era of change in our sport, their leadership and commitment to helping us build a championship football program is strong.
"We took over a program in 2021 during a turbulent time. We quickly built a resilient, player-driven culture and have enjoyed great success on and off the field, but there is still much left to do. I am excited about the future of Tennessee Football, and I can't wait to run through the T once again with Vol Nation proudly supporting us."
Heupel opens his fifth season atop Rocky Top, ranked 24th, against Syracuse on Saturday in Atlanta (noon ET, ABC).
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.