Kalen DeBoer led Alabama to the College Football Playoff in the 2025 season. The Crimson Tide valued his success last season by giving him a contract extension last week.
AJ McCarron Reacts to Kalen DeBoer’s Contract Extension
In his “The Dynasty” podcast on Tuesday, former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron said that keeping DeBoer long-term made his seven-year contract extension a necessary decision for the program.
“Could be biased, but you’re in a top-three program in the country, like, you need to be paid that way, especially if everybody else is up in their money,” McCarron said. “I mean, you have no choice, especially if you’re Greg Byrne, or, you know, the donors and trustees and everybody involved in the process.
“You’ve got to pay this guy; you can’t risk not paying somebody, losing them, and then falling into the trap of having to hire somebody else. Then you’re in this carousel of firing every two years or whatever, like, the coach the board has been successful with. So give him his due, and it’s time to, you know, get things the way he wants and then see where it goes.”
The extension had reportedly been in development after DeBoer’s name surfaced in connection with other major job openings, including Michigan. The deal raised his annual salary to $12.5 million, with a total value reaching $87.5 million, placing him among the five highest-paid coaches in college football.
The agreement also includes a $10 million buyout through Jan. 31, 2027, which decreases by $2 million each year over the following two years. It extends DeBoer’s previous contract by two additional years, as his original deal had run through 2031. Another change in the updated contract is an increase in personal, non-business private jet usage from 30 hours per year to 55 hours.
Other benefits in DeBoer’s contract remain unchanged, including a $16,800 annual automobile allowance, free travel for his spouse and dependents, access to the BDS skybox, parking passes, 15 general admission tickets, road game tickets, a country club membership, and a cell phone stipend.
DeBoer spoke about his contract extension on Tuesday.
“I think it gives the staff direction,” DeBoer said. “An understanding, also, just that everyone believes in what we’re doing. … The growth that we’ve had here in two years is a lot to build off of. Going into the playoffs, making the SEC Championship. This next year, another big year. They’re all big, in my mind. You never take anything for granted, so I really appreciate the opportunity the university has given me.”
Since taking over after Nick Saban, DeBoer has accumulated a 20-8 record in two seasons at Alabama. He went 11-4 in the 2025 season, and PFSN predictions already show optimism for 2026, giving the Crimson Tide a 33.3% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
