Is Kirby Smart going to Atlanta? Exploring Georgia HC's latest coaching rumors

Kirby Smart is undoubtedly one of the top coaches in college football in the last few years. The former Alabama defensive coordinator has led Georgia to two national championships since arriving in Athens in 2016, showcasing his impact as a coach.

The future of Smart with the Bulldogs looks secure, and he's expected to become dominant following the unexpected retirement of Nick Saban, with whom he worked under at Alabama. However, in a constantly changing college football landscape, nothing is easy to predict.

Rumors say that the coach might be on his way to the NFL to team up with the Atlanta Falcons. Let's examine this possibility.

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Is Kirby Smart going to Atlanta?

While there are no reports from the media linking Smart to the Atlanta Falcons job, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin reckons the Bulldogs coach is taking the NFL role. The Falcons fired Arthur Smith on Monday after he finished his third season with a 7-10 record.

Replying to a post on X (formerly Twitter) of Miles Garrett, which discussed the odds of the next Falcons coach, Kiffin noted that Kirby Smart is his pick. That has pretty much created some frenzy in the college football landscape, as another top coach could leave.

Many fans believe Kiffin is only scared of the level of domination Smart is about to launch after Saban's exit. Others think that the Ole Miss coach has received some inside information concerning the Falcons' next move in their coaching search following Smith’s firing.

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What is Kirby Smart’s salary at Georgia?

Kirby Smart's salary at Georgia in the 2023 season is $10.5 million. This is an increase from the $10.25 million he was paid in 2022, as the contract he inked in 2022 guarantees him an annual increase of $250,000 in his wages until 2031.

The salary does not include performance-based bonuses and incentives, which makes his salary even more lucrative. The Falcons must be ready to do more than that to be able to lure Smart out of Georgia.

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What is Kirby Smart’s buyout at Georgia?

In the extension contract he signed in 2022, Smart will be obligated to pay Georgia $5 million if he resigns from his role before the end of 2025.

Following that, the buyout figure will decrease to $4 million from 2026 to 2027. Subsequently, a further reduction to $3 million will be there in 2028, followed by $2 million by 2029 and eventually $1 million for the last two years of the contract.