Report: Kirby Smart receives two-year contract extension at Georgia, now highest paid coach

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart received a new contract extension, according to Jake Rowe of Dawgs HQ. He is now the highest paid coach in college football once again.

“News: Kirby Smart is receiving a two-year contract extension and a raise that will make him once again the highest-paid coach in college football,” The Athletic’s Seth Emerson wrote on Twittter, providing details. “Two year extension through Dec. 2023, $1.75 million raise. Annual salary now $13 million per year, with bonuses up to $1.55 million.”

Smart wasn’t the only Georgia official to get paid either.

“Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks is also receiving a new deal,” Emerson wrote on Twitter. “Brooks gets one more year, so it now runs through 2030, for an annual salary of $1,275,000, increasing by $100,000 each year of the agreement. Plus bonuses of up to $200,000 each year.”

Smart’s first head coaching job at the college level was at Georgia, his alma mater, following eight seasons as Alabama‘s defensive coordinator. Since 2016, Smart is 94-16 as a head coach and a two-time national champion.

He’s led the Bulldogs to three title games in the College Football Playoff era, only losing during the 2017 season to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

Going 13-1 last season, Smart and Georgia were poised to three-peat as champions. However, a loss to Saban and Alabama in the SEC Championship kept the Bulldogs out of the CFP.

Georgia later dominated the Orange Bowl against an undermanned Florida State team to end the season with a win.

Going into 2024, Georgia is on the shortlist to win the national title once again as Smart goes for his third title in four seasons as head coach.

Due to his recent success, Smart is widely considered the top coach in the sport, particularly after Saban’s retirement this offseason.

Smart played college football as a defensive back at Georgia from 1995-98 and had a training camp stint with the Indianapolis Colts in 1999.

He began his coaching career at UGA that same year as an administration assistant before going into a variety of roles at Valdosta State for two seasons.

In 2002, he was a GA at Florida State before moving to LSU (2004), back to Georgia (2005) and the Miami Dolphins under Saban (2006). Smart followed Saban to Alabama as associate head coach and defensive backs coach in 2007 before becoming the DC the following year.

Smart and Georgia open the 2024 season against Clemson in Atlanta on August 31st.