The University of Georgia already had multiple times shown its commitment to football coach Kirby Smart.
Now on the heels of Smart leading the Bulldogs’ program to its first national championship in four decades, the school has rewarded Smart with a record-setting contract.
On Thursday, Georgia announced that it had signed Smart – represented by powerhouse college super-agent Jimmy Sexton of CAA – to a landmark 10-year pact worth well more than $100 million.
In fact, Smart is slated to make more than $10 million annually per each year of the deal and also is set to see the salary pinnacle at more than $12 million -- $12.25 – in the final year of the deal in 2031.
That deal also does not reflect all of the performance bonuses and contract escalators that sources said are present in the deal, from winning Southeastern Conference and College Football Playoff championships to other elements.
“Coach Smart’s impact on the University of Georgia extends far past his significant accolades as our head football coach,” UGA Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said in the school’s release. “He and his wife are Bulldogs through and through, and it is evident that Athens and UGA mean as much to him as he means to us. I am excited for our football program’s continued success under his direction.
“The future of Georgia football remains bright with Coach Smart as its steadfast leader.”
Since he took over at his alma mater prior to the 2016 season, Smart has led the Bulldogs to a 66-15 ledger with a 3-1 record in the CFP and a 6-2 postseason record in bowls. Four of Smart's seasons at the helm have featured 11 or more wins for the Bulldogs, who defeated Alabama in an SEC Championship rematch last January to win the program's first national title since 1980.