Sports

Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl Couldn’t Have Looked Happier After Signing A MASSIVE Contract (Video)

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Auburn head basketball coach Bruce Pearl has something cooking in Alabama. Love him or hate him (most people would lean toward the latter) his results on the hardwood are undeniable.

The Tigers reached their first-ever No. 1 ranking earlier this month and are currently 19-1. As a result, Pearl is getting PAID.

Earlier this week, a smokescreen emerged out of Kentucky. There were reports that Louisville reached out to Pearl to gauge his interest in taking over the Cardinals. Pearl definitely did not shut down the idea when asked about the possibility of changing programs.

As it would turn out, as many people suspected, it was all a ploy. Pearl and his camp likely leveraged the UofL job to get him a new contract.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Auburn announced that locked Pearl up with a new eight-year contract that runs through 2030 on Saturday. The Tigers will pay their head basketball coach $5.4 million annually with a $250,000 annual escalator. That comes out to at least $43.2 million in total.

With the contract, Pearl will earn more per year than Auburn’s head football coach.

Pearl, of course, was thrilled.

“I am grateful to our Director of Athletics, Allen Greene and our administration, Dr. Jay Gogue, General Burgess and Rich McGlynn, for their continued commitment to Auburn Basketball and helping us build a competitive program. My intent when I came to Auburn was to have enough success for this to be my last coaching job. My family and I love Auburn University, the proud tradition, our alumni, student and fan support, as well as the close-knit community we have here on the Plains. I am grateful to all of my players, coaches and support staff for making history. Auburn will be our family’s forever home. I am humbled and blessed to be your head coach for a very long time. War Eagle!”

Athletic director Allen Greene was also excited to get a deal done.

“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. 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. In addition to Auburn’s remarkable on-court success under his leadership, Coach Pearl has tirelessly championed Auburn Athletics and Auburn University while serving our community in countless ways. This extension ensures that Auburn’s commitment to Coach Pearl matches BP’s commitment to Auburn.”

The two took a video together on Friday, shortly after the ink dried.

Greene posted a video on Twitter announcing the deal and Peal was beaming. He looked like a man who just made $43.5 million and was beaming from ear to ear.

The funniest part is when Pearl says “it wasn’t that hard.” All Auburn had to do was pay him a small fortune.

He then goes on to say that he and his family “are able to stay,” as if he was going to leave if Greene did not get him a bag. Pearl was beaming and understandably so.