“He Resets the Market”: Analysts Discuss Whether Kirby Smart Deserves a $130 Million Extension

College football coaches are crucial for the NFL system. They develop young players with potential and prepare them for the big leagues. Hence, it is natural for such coaches to enjoy a healthy salary, and Georgia’s Kirby Smart has just made history by becoming the highest-paid college football coach ever. Coach JB even addressed Smart’s new contract on his podcast and claimed the coach deserved it because of his incredible record.

Coach JD was joined by Big Smitty on his podcast and the two talked about the implications a contract this large might have. JD insisted that Smart was one of the few coaches left in the college football league with a dominant record and Smitty seconded the claim.

Smitty further explained how Smart has a winning record despite taking on a tough program, which shows his excellence as a coach. Moreover, both agreed that this new contract will likely impact other college coaches in the future, as JD said,

“I think that they’re making him the trendsetter now. He’s probably going to be the coach that resets the market he’s gonna be the coach that reset the market.” 

Indeed, Kirby’s contract has the potential to change things. The coach landed a huge deal of $130 million over 10 years. However, considering his stint with Georgia during which he led them to two back-to-back championships, Smart has earned the pay bump. Per ESPN, Kirby’s salary changed from $10.75 million per year to a whopping $13 million. Hence, in terms of contracts, his competition isn’t doing nearly as well as he is.

Highest-paid coaches after Kirby Smart

While some might question Smart’s hefty contract, he has proven himself to be one of the best coaches in the business. Per SI, his record in the past 3 seasons has been 42-2. Furthermore, he has won back-to-back national championships over the last three seasons.

After him, comes Dabo Swinney with a yearly salary of $11.5 million. He heads Clemson University’s football unit and has turned it into a very successful dynasty. The straight jump after that is a $10.8 million yearly salary for Kalen DeBoer from Alabama. DeBoer has had an intense winning record throughout his career, clocking in at 104 wins and only 12 losses since 2005.

Apart from these three, the highest-paid coaches salary list falls anywhere between $9 million to $10 million. While that does seem to be the norm, a $3 million-a-year jump in Smart’s salary is going to get head coaches moving and trying to get their contracts restructured. It only remains to be seen how Smart’s contract will change the way college football salaries are negotiated.