KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Football Head Coach Josh Heupel has received a contract extension and raise.
Tennessee Athletics announced on Tuesday his contract now runs through January 2029 and he will receive $9 million annually, plus incentives.
Heupel has turned the football team around in two seasons. Last year, the Vols went 11-2, capping off the season with a win in the Orange Bowl against Clemson. The Vols had the top offense in the nation in both scoring and total offense.
"I am grateful to President Boyd, Chancellor Plowman, Danny White and of Vol Nation for their tremendous support," Heupel said in a statement. "Our staff takes great pride in representing the Power T, and it's something we never take for granted. We will continue to work tirelessly to build a championship program that all of Vol Nation and all VFLs can be proud of. Most importantly, our players are the people who deserve all of the credit for our resurgence on Rocky Top. Over the last two years, they believed in us and poured their energy into every single day with hard work, leadership, cohesiveness and consistent habits. I am proud to be their coach."
Heupel is just the fifth head coach in Vols football history to achieve an 11-win season. Phillip Fulmer did it four times, Johnny Majors did it once, Bill Battle did it once and Robert Neyland did it twice. Heupel and Battle are the only two to have done it within their first two seasons.
The 11-win season marks the first time the Vols have done so since 2001.
His overall record is 18-8 since taking over as head coach.
Heupel is receiving a $4 million raise from his prior contract. He received a $1 million raise after his first season on Rocky Top last September.
He is now tied for the fifth highest-paid coach in the SEC. He was 11th in the conference prior to his raise. He is only paid less than Alabama's head coach Nick Saban ($11.7 million), Georgia's head coach Kirby Smart ($11.25 million), Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher ($9.5 million) and LSU head coach Brian Kelly ($9.5 million).