Auburn’s Bruce Pearl signs 8-year extension worth over $50 million

Bruce Pearl won’t go to Louisville, and he won’t go anywhere else.

The 61-year-old Auburn men’s basketball coach has agreed to a new eight-year contract through 2030 and will pay Pearl $5.4 million a year with an annual escalator of $250,000, announced the school. The total value of the transaction is $50.2 million. He is currently the third highest paid coach in the SEC behind John Calipari of Kentucky and Rick Barnes of Tennessee.

In a video released Friday, Auburn AD Allen Greene said the extension means Pearl will coach the Tigers “for life”.

The announcement comes after a week in which Pearl led Auburn ranked No. 1 in AP Poll for the first time in program history, and in which Louisville bought out beleaguered coach Chris Mack for $4.8 million. Pearl had been linked with the opener, along with former Louisville standout and Knicks assistant Kenny Payne.

“By leading Auburn’s men’s basketball program to unprecedented heights, Coach Bruce Pearl has earned this contract extension that is commensurate with his level of achievement in the Southeastern Conference. We are excited to agree to terms that will keep BP in the Plains for many years to come while investing in its assistant coaches and support staff,” Greene said in a statement. “In addition to the remarkable success of Auburn on the field under his guidance, Coach Pearl tirelessly championed Auburn Athletics and Auburn University while serving our community in countless ways. This extension ensures that Auburn’s commitment to Coach Pearl matches BP’s commitment to Auburn.

Just last month, Auburn was placed on four-year probation and Pearl served a two-game suspension after the NCAA said the program failed to monitor former associate head coach Chuck Person for his role in the 2017 college basketball bribery case.

It was Pearl’s second sanction by the NCAA after he received a three-year show cause sentence in 2011 following a recruiting investigation while at Tennessee. Pearl was fired by Tennessee in 2011 and hired at Auburn in 2014.

Now in his eighth season, Pearl led the Tigers to a 19-1 record and the No. 1 ranking nationally for the first time in program history. After getting off to their best SEC start since 1958-59 with an 8-0 record, the Tigers have won 16 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. They also feature potential No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft in Jabari Smith.

Pearl led Auburn to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including Auburn’s first-ever Final Four in 2019 when the Tigers won a program-record 31 games. His 2019-20 squad won 25 games before the season was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Pearl, Auburn has the best overall record in the Southeastern Conference in the past five years.

“I am grateful to our Athletic Director, Allen Greene and our administration, Dr. Jay Gogue, General Burgess and Rich McGlynn, for their continued commitment to Auburn Basketball and helping us build a competitive program,” said the manager. Head Coach Bruce Pearl.

“My intention when I came to Auburn was to be successful enough that this would be my last coaching job. My family and I love Auburn University, the proud tradition, the support of our alumni, students and fans, as well as the tight-knit community we have here on the Plains. I am grateful to all of my players, coaches, and support staff for making history. Auburn will be our family’s forever home. I am honored and blessed to be your head coach for a very long time. War Eagle!”