University of Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne announced Friday that head football coach Nick Saban and the University have agreed to a raise and contract extension.

The new agreement will extend his current contract by one season to eight years, and keep him in charge of the Crimson Tide football program through February 28, 2026. The base salary and talent fee will rise to $7.5 million and increase $400,000 annually. There will also be a contract extension/championship signing incentive of $800,000 in 2018 and a contract completion benefit of $800,000 payable at the end of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

“Our family is thrilled to agree to a contract extension with The University of Alabama that will keep us in Tuscaloosa for the rest of our coaching career,” Saban said. “For Terry and me, the Tuscaloosa community and the state of Alabama have become home, and a place with deep roots for our entire family. We are very excited about the future, and this agreement allows us to continue to build on the success we have enjoyed at Alabama – both on and off the football field. We want to thank the Board of Trustees, President Bell, Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, our athletics administration, the football staff and the entire University community for their support. I’ve said this before, but the most satisfying part of our job is seeing the young men that represent our program grow and develop, not only in football, but more importantly in what they have been able to accomplish in their lives because of their involvement in our program.”

Saban is entering his 12th season and has led his Alabama teams to five national championships over the last nine years, along with five Southeastern Conference championships. Saban’s 125 (125-14) wins over the past decade are the most for any FBS school during a 10-year span in the Associated Press poll era (since 1936). Since 2008, Alabama has played just three regular-season games in which it hasn’t been in contention for the national championship – the final three regular season games of the 2010 season – a staggering 118 of 121 games. The Crimson Tide has appeared in each of the first four College Football Playoffs and has had a total of 37 players win 42 first team All-America honors during his tenure. The Tide has also seen 77 players selected in the NFL Draft since 2009, including 26 first round picks. Those numbers are all the best in the nation during that span.

“We are so fortunate to have the best football coach in the country here at Alabama in Coach Saban, and we are very pleased that he has agreed to another contract extension,” Byrne said. “What this program has accomplished under him over the past decade is truly remarkable, and it goes well beyond the five national championships. There is obviously a very high expectation to succeed on the field, however that expectation carries over into the classroom and the community, and it has shown in the number of graduates and hours of community service performed. The impact he and Ms. Terry have had, and continue to have, on the program, athletics, our University, Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama is unmatched, and we look forward to having them around for many years to come.”

Over the past 11 seasons, Saban's teams have also excelled in the classroom with a graduation progress rating of 984 that ranks second in the SEC and 11th in the NCAA. The Crimson Tide had 25 players compete in the most recent CFP National Championship Game in January after already earning their degree. A total of 126 players have competed in postseason play with a degree in hand over the last five seasons, which is the most in the country.

“Nick and Terry Saban have been tremendous assets to our university, and we appreciate all they do to support our students and our community,” President Stuart R. Bell said. “We are so fortunate to have them here, and we are grateful they will continue to invest their time and their talents here in Tuscaloosa.”

Beyond the success on the field and in the classroom, the Sabans have been very involved in community initiatives. Since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007, Nick and Terry Saban have raised nearly $8 million for charitable causes through their Nick’s Kids Foundation. Following the devastating 2011 tornado, they teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild a total of 13 homes and have added a house for each of the Tide’s four titles sine for a total of 17 houses. The Sabans have personally donated $1 million to UA's first-generation scholarship fund and spearheaded fundraising efforts for the new St. Francis Catholic Church student center, which is named in their honor. The Sabans and Nick’s Kids are currently helping the Tuscaloosa Juvenile Detention Center build a state-of-the-art welding and GED classroom addition.

The agreement is subject to approval by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama.

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