Matt Rhule, Baylor Agree to Contract Extension Through 2027 Season

Matt Rhule is staying with the Baylor Bears for the long run.

According to Chance Linton of 247Sports' Bears Illustrated, Baylor and its head football coach agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the Big 12 program through the 2027 campaign. He was under contract through the 2023 campaign before this agreement.

David Smoak of ESPN Central Texas 1660 shared Rhule's statement regarding the extension:

"Since arriving at Baylor in December 2016, Waco has become our home. My family is very happy here. Baylor, its mission, and its people are a tremendous fit for myself and our staff and all the things we believe in. Most importantly, I have grown to love these players and I am proud of the things they are accomplishing on and off the field. Thank you to Mack Rhoades, Dr. Livingstone and the Board of Regents and I look forward to a bright future and continuing to work with our student-athletes for years to come."

Baylor hired Rhule after he was the head coach for Temple from 2013 through 2016 and finished with a 28-23 record and two bowl appearances.

"Matt embodies our institutional goal of Preparing Champions for Life and has done a phenomenal job leading our football program both on and off the field," vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Mack B. Rhoades IV said in a release, per Linton. "We look forward to continued growth in all areas under his leadership. Matt is without a doubt one of the elite head football coaches in the country."

The Bears struggled out of the gate under Rhule and went just 1-11 during his first season.

However, Mark Schlabach of ESPN pointed out he "inherited a program that was plagued by accusations of sexual misconduct by players and the mishandling of other off-field issues, which led to the firing of former coach Art Briles and resignation of other university officials in 2016."

There was an immediate turnaround last year, as evidenced by a 7-6 record and Texas Bowl victory over Vanderbilt. Baylor has picked up right where it left off this year and is already 4-0 with a Big 12 victory over Iowa State.

The Bears have difficult tests remaining against Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma State on the schedule, but they appear well on their way to another bowl appearance.

Rhule will look to make that the new reality for the foreseeable future.