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Blog · Oct. 19, 2026

What firing Kalen DeBoer would cost Alabama, and what that means for the Tide's books

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Alabama lost 26-10 at Tennessee on Saturday, Oct. 17, with 201 yards of offense (Alabama Athletics, Oct. 17, 2026). It was the first time since 2007 that Alabama lost back-to-back regular-season games (al.com, Oct. 17, 2026). Count bowl games and the last two-game skid was 2013 (Tuscaloosa News, Oct. 17, 2026). Either way, a fan base spent the weekend doing contract math.

Here's that math, with receipts.

By the numbers

  • Over $67.5 million: buyout if DeBoer is fired in November 2026 (al.com)
  • $244,551,544: Alabama athletics revenue, FY2025 (EADA)
  • $81,502,191: football spending, FY2025, fifth-most of the 68 schools we track (EADA)
  • $29,988,389: university support that went to athletics in FY2025 (Knight-Newhouse)
  • C: Alabama's Public Cap financial health grade

The number: more than $67.5 million

If Alabama fired Kalen DeBoer in November 2026, "the buyout would be over $67.5 million," al.com reported the day his extension was approved (al.com, Apr. 22, 2026). That's a floor. We're not inventing the decimals.

It wouldn't come as one check. The buyout is paid over the life of the contract (al.com, Apr. 22, 2026). Think car loan, except the car is parked at somebody else's house.

How the contract gets there

All of it comes from the April 22 deal:

That last line does the heavy lifting. Plenty of contracts let a new salary shrink the bill. Not this one. His next employer would pay him, and so would Alabama.

The exit door is cheaper on his side

If another school hires DeBoer away by Jan. 31, 2027, he owes Alabama $10 million. That drops to $8 million through Jan. 31, 2028, and $6 million through Jan. 31, 2029 (ESPN, Apr. 22, 2026). After that, zero (al.com, Apr. 22, 2026).

So this season, Alabama ending things costs more than six times what DeBoer would owe for leaving.

And Alabama signed up for this recently, on purpose. Before the extension, DeBoer had $66.75 million left on his old deal (USA TODAY, Apr. 22, 2026). Six months later, the floor on a November firing is already higher than that.

What that means for Alabama's books

The buyout doesn't land in a vacuum. Against the department's own filings:

  • 27.6% of a year's revenue. Alabama athletics brought in $244,551,544 in FY2025 (EADA).
  • 82.8% of a year of football spending. Alabama spent $81,502,191 on football in FY2025, fifth-most of the 68 schools on our desk (EADA).
  • A thin cushion with help. Revenue beat expenses ($229,908,712) by $14,642,832 (EADA). The university put in $29,988,389 that year, about twice that cushion; student fees were $0 (Knight-Newhouse).
  • 2.8 times the yearly debt bill. Alabama reported $24,071,232 in facilities debt service, leases and rent (College Sports Finance).
  • More than three years of the player-pay cap. Schools can share up to $21,583,913 with athletes in 2026-27 (Winston Taylor), up from $20.5 million in 2025-26 (NCAA). Alabama hasn't said how much it has actually paid.

That mix is why Alabama sits at a C on our financial health grade. And our paid buyouts list has no Alabama football coach on it. A DeBoer firing would be a first for that page.

What happens next

Officially, nothing. DeBoer went 20-8 in his first two seasons (CBS Sports, Apr. 22, 2026), and Alabama is 5-2 this year (Alabama Athletics, Oct. 17, 2026). Next up: Texas A&M at home on Saturday, then a bye, then at LSU, at Vanderbilt, and home games with Chattanooga and Auburn (Alabama Athletics schedule). Auburn beat No. 1 Georgia 27-24 on Saturday (Auburn Athletics, Oct. 17, 2026).

As of Monday morning, Alabama hasn't said anything about his job. The contract just got a lot more searchable.

More on the desk: full terms on our DeBoer buyout page, other big if-fired numbers on hot-seat buyouts, and Alabama's whole money picture on the Alabama school page.

Takeaway: Firing DeBoer in November would cost Alabama more than $67.5 million, paid out over years, with no offset from a future job. That's 27.6% of a year's athletics revenue at a department whose FY2025 surplus was about half of what the university put in.

Sources

  1. al.com (Matt Stahl), 'How much would Alabama have to pay to fire Kalen DeBoer during new contract,' Apr. 22, 2026: https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2026/04/how-much-would-alabama-have-to-pay-to-fire-kalen-deboer-during-new-contract.html
  2. ESPN (Mark Schlabach), 'Alabama, Kalen DeBoer agree to new 7-year, $87.5M contract,' Apr. 22, 2026: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/48563560/alabama-kalen-deboer-agree-new-7-year-875m-contract
  3. CBS Sports (John Talty), 'Alabama gives Kalen DeBoer contract extension, big raise,' Apr. 22, 2026: https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/kalen-deboer-alabama-contract-extension-salary/
  4. USA TODAY, 'Kalen DeBoer contract, buyout,' Apr. 22, 2026: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2026/04/22/kalen-deboer-contract-extension-salary-buyout-alabama-football/89740340007/
  5. Alabama Athletics, 'No. 6/7 Alabama Drops 26-10 Contest at No. 14/14 Tennessee,' Oct. 17, 2026: https://rolltide.com/news/2026/10/17/football-no-6-7-alabama-drops-26-10-contest-at-no-14-14-tennessee
  6. al.com, 'What Alabama's ugly loss to Tennessee means for season, CFP chances,' Oct. 17, 2026: https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2026/10/what-alabamas-ugly-loss-to-tennessee-means-for-season-cfp-chances.html
  7. The Tuscaloosa News (Colin Gay), 'What's next for Alabama after Tennessee loss? Kalen DeBoer shares mindset,' Oct. 17, 2026: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/whats-next-alabama-tennessee-loss-003022135.html
  8. Alabama Athletics, 2026 football schedule: https://rolltide.com/sports/football/schedule/2026
  9. Auburn Athletics, 'Auburn knocks off No. 1 Georgia 27-24 on McPherson's field goal,' Oct. 17, 2026: https://auburntigers.com/news/2026/10/17/auburn-knocks-off-no-1-georgia-27-24-on-mcphersons-field-goal
  10. U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act data, 2024-25 (FY2025): total athletics revenue and expenses, football expenses for The University of Alabama: https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/api/dataFiles/file?fileName=EADA_All_Data_Combined_2024-2025_SAS_SPSS_EXCEL.zip
  11. Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database, University of Alabama, FY2025 NCAA financial report lines (student fees, institutional support): https://knightnewhousedata.org/fbs/sec/university-alabama
  12. College Sports Finance, University of Alabama, FY2025 NCAA report line 'Athletic Facilities Debt Service, Leases and Rental Fee': https://college-sports-finance.com/schools/university-of-alabama
  13. NCAA, House settlement Q&A (2025-26 benefits cap): https://on.ncaa.com/QA61325
  14. Winston Taylor, 'Class counsel, NCAA and Power Five conferences announce $44M in additional compensation and benefits following first audit' (2026-27 cap): https://www.winstontaylor.com/insights/class-counsel-ncaa-and-power-five-conferences-announce-usd44m-in-additional-compensation-and-benefits-following-first-audit

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