Kirby Smart's Georgia Contract Details, Bonuses, Buyout Terms Revealed for $130M Deal

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart agreed to a 10-year, $130 million contract last May, making him the highest-paid coach in the sport.

On Friday, more details in the contract were revealed via Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald following an open records request.

For starters, Smart's contract is fully guaranteed if he's fired without cause any time through Dec. 31, 2028. For the remainder of the contract, which runs through 2033, it is 85 percent guaranteed if he's fired without cause.

That's obviously a major financial commitment from Georgia, although the Bulldogs have been tremendous in the Smart era, going 97-17 and 57-10 in the SEC. The Bulldogs have also gone 46-3 since the 2021 season, winning back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. Last year's team went 13-1 and won the Peach Bowl. The No. 5 Bulldogs are 3-1 this year, falling only at No. 1 Alabama, 41-34.

Smart's deal will pay him $13 million per year. Per Weiszer, that makes Smart college sports' highest-paid public school coach. His bonus structure is also $1.775 million annually, per Weiszer.

Smart is rewarded $1.25 million if the Bulldogs win the national championship, per Weiszer. However, he'll still get a bonus if the team loses the big game ($850,000).

If the season ends in the first round of the new 12-team College Football Playoff, Smart will receive a quarter-million. That'll go up to a half-million with a quarterfinal exit and then $750,000 if Georgia loses in the semifinals.

Winning the SEC Championship Game brings Smart another $200,000, but even falling short there leads to $100,000.

If Smart resigns, his buyout will be $5 million if he leaves on or before Dec. 31, 2026. The number drops to $4 million if he leaves on or before Dec. 31, 2029. The figure goes down by a million each year over the next two years (2030 and 2031) before settling at $1 million with a resignation by Dec. 31, 2033.

So Smart will be well-paid through the duration of his contract, even if he doesn't stay at UGA until the end of it. But he might have the safest job in the country right now given how well the Bulldogs have performed.

In the meantime, Georgia will continue its SEC schedule on Saturday with a home game against Auburn.