Auburn gives Pearl 8-year contract, starting at $5.4 million

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn coach Bruce Pearl stands to make more than $50 million under a new eight-year contract.

Athletic director Allen Greene announced terms of the deal Saturday, hours before the top-ranked Tigers faced Oklahoma at Auburn Arena. Greene and Pearl had announced an agreement on social media Friday without releasing terms.

Pearl's pay will start at $5.4 million with a $250,000 annual increase that would allow him to make $7.15 million in the final year. He led Auburn to the Final Four in 2019, and the Tigers received their first-ever No. 1 ranking this week.

“By leading Auburn’s men’s basketball program to unprecedented heights, coach Bruce Pearl has earned this contract extension that’s commensurate with his level of achievement within the Southeastern Conference," Greene said in a statement. "We are thrilled to agree on terms that will keep BP on the Plains for many years to come while investing in his assistant coaches and support staff.”

Auburn has the best overall record in the SEC over the last five years.

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