Former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele signed a two year contract with the University to be a defensive assistant coach on Tuesday. The contract runs from Jan. 18, 2021 through Jan. 31, 2023.
In both the first and second year of his contract, Steele will make $450,000 dollars annually. That puts him in the middle of the pack when it comes to assistant coach contracts with the football team. Both Chris Weinke (whose contract runs through Jan. 2022) and Tee Martin (whose contract runs through the end of this month) sit at the $450,000 salary number. The only non-coordinator who earns more annually is running backs coach Jay Graham, who earns $575,000 a year, although he and Martin agreed to a reduction in their salary because of the pandemic. The reduction runs through the end of June 2021.
The contract includes the standard incentive compensations, offering percentage based bonuses for on field success, like appearing in a bowl game or winning the SEC Championship game.
The contract was signed by all the appropriate parties, including Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer, Chancellor Dr. Donde Plowman and Steele himself.
All this comes as Tennessee football is currently under investigation for an "NCAA rules-related matter," per an agreement between the University and the Bond, Schoeneck & King Law Firm.
Tennessee currently has two assistant coaching positions open on the defensive and offensive line. Defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh was let go during the season, while offensive line coach Will Friend left his position for a job at South Carolina, before leaving to go to Auburn.
Tennessee has another two positions set to open up on the coaching staff at the end of the month. Both inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer and wide receivers coach Tee Martin have contracts that expire at the end of January.