Kalen DeBoer contract details: Alabama gives Washington coach big payday

After the legendary head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Nick Saban, shocked the world by deciding to retire, the progam wasted no time finding his replacement.

After leading the Washington Huskies to their first National Championship appearance since 1991, head coach Kalen DeBoer has accepted an offer to be the next head coach at Alabama, the most prestigious college football program in the nation.

DeBoer joined the University of Washington in 2021 and has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the Huskies’ football program, guiding the team to a 25-3 record and a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship in his two seasons with the team. After being given a massive payday to leave Washington, DeBoer will look to fill the void left by Saban, who is known as the greatest college football coach of all time.

Kalen DeBoer contract details: What is new Alabama coach's salary?

Though we don't yet know the full details of DeBoer's contract in terms of the number of years or the exact salary number, ESPN's Pete Thamel, Mark Schlabach and Chris Low reported that Alabama will "more than double" his $4.2 million salary at Washington with Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger reporting that the figure will be $10+ million per year.

Kalen DeBoer buyout: How much did Alabama pay?

Not only did Alabama have to pay a pretty penny to lure DeBoer away from Washington, but they also had to buyout the remainder of his contract with the Huskies due to an extension he signed in 2022, which was expected to keep him with the program through 2028. 

Per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Washington is owed roughly $12 million in buyout money as a result of the Crimson Tide poaching away their head coach. Dellenger added that combined with DeBoer’s annual salary (which is likely around $10 million per year), “this is an incredibly expensive move from the Crimson Tide,” committing nearly $100 million to the esteemed head coach.

While it has been reported that Washington made a valiant effort to retain their prized head coach, offering him “more than double his current $4.2 million salary,” the opportunity to be the head football coach of the University of Alabama was too great of an opportunity for DeBoer to pass up. 

DeBoer has left Washington in good hands and laid the groundwork for the continued success of the program sans his presence.