Josh Heupel's new contract: Where does he rank among highest-paid SEC Coaches?

Josh Heupel has been with the Tennessee Volunteers since 2021 when he became the 27th head coach of the program. The former Oklahoma quarterback joined Tennessee after a stint as head coach of Central Florida, where he had a 28-8 record.

Under Heupel's guidance, the Volunteers achieved a berth in the Music City Bowl and concluded the season with a 7–6 overall record in 2021. This earned Heupel the Steve Spurrier first-year head coach award for the second time, which he shared with Shane Beamer.

The 2022 season saw Heupel's Volunteers team record even much bigger success. The team ended the regular season with an 11-2 record. The remarkable 11 victories marked the highest win total for the program since 2001 and tied for the second-highest in school history.

After an impressive 2022 season that surpassed expectations, Tennessee wasted no time in rewarding head coach Josh Heupel with a new contract. He signed a new extension deal that keeps with the program till 2029 with an annual salary of $9 million.

Heupel's contract includes a bowl bonus clause that could potentially earn him up to $1 million in the event of the Volunteers winning a national championship. In the event that Heupel is terminated without cause prior to December 15, 2025, Tennessee will be obligated to pay him the entire remaining amount of his contract.

Subsequently, from December 15, 2025, to December 14, 2027, the buyout percentage for Heupel's outstanding salary decreases to 75 percent. If Heupel is terminated at any point after December 14, 2027, the buyout figure will be reduced to 50 percent of his outstanding salary.

Where does Josh Heupel rank among the highest-earning coaches in the SEC?

The SEC has some of the best coaches in college football. This comes as no surprise, the conference has won 12 of the last 16 national championship titles. The dominance has seen many of its coaches receive a pay rise, with salaries compared to NFL coaches.

Josh Heupel is currently the fourth highest-paid head coach in the SEC. The Volunteers coach ranks behind Alabama's Nick Saban (who earns $11.7 million), Georgia's Kirby Smart (11.25 million), and LSU's Brian Kelly ($9.5 million).

Heupel's $9 million salary ties him with Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher, whose salary is subjected to an annual increase. The Volunteers coach ranks ahead of Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, who currently earns $7.5 million but will match Heupel's payout in 2024.