University of Texas head football coach Steve Sarkisian received a oneyear contract extension through the 2031 season – and pay raise after leading Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinal appearances. Sarkisian guided the program to a 13-3 record that included an appearance in the SEC Championship game in his fourth season as head coach of the Longhorns.
The contract extension is the second in as many years for Sarkisian, 50, who saw his salary jump from $5.8 million to $10.3 million in February 2024 as part of a guaranteed, four-year contract extension through the 2030 season. Sarkisian received a $300,000 special payment in April and then received $900,00 in postseason bonuses, bringing his total earnings for the 2024 season to $11.5 million.
Sarkisian’s $10.3 million base salary before this most recent raise and extension was top-three among college football coaching salaries behind Clemson’s Dabo Swinney ($10.88 million) and Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($10.7 million) and ahead of Ohio State’s Ryan Day ($10.27 million).
Sarkisian has amassed a 38-17 record at Texas. The extension signed last February called for Sarkisian to earn a performance bonus of $150,000 for reaching the SEC Championship as well as $750,000 for reaching the CFP semifinal – totaling $900,000.
Sarkisian’s name has come up in multiple NFL head coaches job searches.