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Kalen DeBoer has signed a contract extension with Alabama.

The Alabama Crimson Tide football program made an emphatic statement about the future of the program on Wednesday, officially securing head coach Kalen DeBoer with a lucrative new contract extension.

According to On3, the Alabama board of trustees approved a new seven-year contract extension that elevates DeBoer’s annual salary to an average of $12.5 million, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.

Kalen DeBoer’s Contract Details Show Alabama’s Commitment

The updated contract not only boosts DeBoer’s salary but also includes significant buyout protections:

• $10 million through January 2027
• $8 million through January 2028
• $6 million through January 2029

These figures reflect Alabama’s determination to keep DeBoer in place as the face of the historic program for many years to come.

Michigan’s interest in Kalen DeBoer Played a Role

The timing of the extension comes shortly after the Michigan Wolverines explored DeBoer as a potential candidate following the firing of Sherrone Moore.

Despite the speculation, DeBoer made it clear he never engaged with Michigan.

“I didn’t come here to follow Coach Saban only to turn around after two years and go somewhere else,” DeBoer said. “I mean, this is Alabama.”

His comments reinforced his commitment to the Crimson Tide and helped quiet concerns about his long-term intentions. This massive contract extension is evidence of DeBoer’s commitment to the program.

Kalen DeBoer’s Embracing the Challenge of Coaching at Alabama

DeBoer has emphasized his belief in the program’s direction and the work already done behind the scenes.

“I chose to be here. I love the support and love our players and love the direction… A lot of heavy lifting’s been done to get us to this point.”

Being the head coach of a program like Alabama, where expectations are always high, is difficult enough, much less following behind Saban, who is arguably the greatest college football coach of all time. DeBoer has yet to back down from this challenge.

That confidence clearly aligns with Alabama leadership, which moved quickly to secure his future amid outside interest.

How Kalen DeBoer Can Build His Legacy at Alabama

DeBoer has led the program to a 20-8 record over his first two seasons. Most recently, he guided the Crimson Tide to a 10-win regular season and a victory over Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff first round, only to get embarrassed by Indiana in the quarterfinals.

The next step for DeBoer at Alabama is finding more consistency. He has proven he can win at the highest level. Now it is time to prove that he can get his team ready to play week in and week out to a certain standard that Alabama fans have grown accustomed to.