Kalen DeBoer Contract Buyout: How much does the new Alabama HC owe Washington after he leaves the program?

Kalen DeBoer was named the new head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, the school announced on Friday. The legendary Nick Saban called it quits at Alabama after 17 years. Saban’s retirement came after Alabama’s elimination from the CFP by eventual champions Michigan.

DeBoer was among the many names rumored to be in line for the job, including Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, and Georgia’s Kirby Smart. DeBoer’s appointment isn’t surprising given his superb performance at Washington, leaving the Huskies with a 25-3 record.

As more details about his appointment emerge, one of the most burning questions about DeBoer’s exit from Washington is his buyout. He must pay a buyout with several years still on his contract with the Huskies.

What is Kalen DeBoer’s contract buyout?

According to his contract with the Washington Huskies, Kalen DeBoer is to pay the Huskies around $12 million. The amount will be payable by the 49-year-old if he leaves his post with Washington to accept another football coaching job before Jan. 31, 2025.

DeBoer’s contract with Washington began in Nov. 2022 with a term of over six years. The contract paid him $4.2 million in 2023, with a guaranteed annual $100,000 increase.

The details of his new contract with Alabama have not yet been made public. But he’s expected to have a significant pay rise from what he earned at Washington.

DeBoer will resume as Alabama’s coach with four years of head coaching experience in NCAA Division I. Before this, he was the head coach of the Sioux Falls Cougars between 2005 and 2009. He left Sioux Falls to be the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Southern Illinois from 2010 to 2013.

2024 CFP National Championship - Michigan v Washington

From 2014 to 2016, he was the Eastern Michigan Eagles’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He assumed the same role at Fresno State from 2017 to 2018, having a year stint at Indiana in 2019 in the same role before returning to Fresno State in 2020 as the head coach.

Following the abridged 2020 season, he led Fresno State to a 9-3 regular season finish in 2021, beating ranked teams like UCLA and San Diego State. DeBoer’s immediate concern at Alabama will be to maintain the team’s glorious pedigree attained under Saban and return it to the top as national champion.