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Bruce Pearl, No. 1 Auburn reach new 8-year contract extension

Bruce Pearl isn’t leaving Auburn anytime soon.

Auburn athletic director Allen Greene announced on Twitter on Friday night that the Tigers had reached an agreement on a contract extension with Pearl to keep him there “for life.”

“Tonight’s a great night,” Greene said. “I got a great surprise for you. We locked him up.”

Greene didn’t announce terms of the new contract, though Stadium’s Jeff Goodman reported Pearl agreed to a new eight-year deal. Pearl was previously on a five-year deal that ran through the 2023-24 season and paid him an average of just more than $4 million per season.

“It wasn’t that hard,” Pearl said. “I’m grateful for Allen. I’m grateful to the administration … and the folks that worked on this. My family and I are going to be able to stay and be your basketball coach for a long, long time. I’m grateful, I’m humbled, I’m blessed to be your coach. War Eagle.”

Pearl was hired at Auburn in 2014, and is now in his eighth season leading the Tigers. Pearl holds a 157-93 record in Auburn and led the program to its first-ever No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press’ Top 25 poll earlier this week.

Pearl led Auburn to an SEC title in 2018 and its first Final Four appearance the following season.

Pearl got his start at Milwaukee in 2001, and then coached at Tennessee from 2005-2011. In total, Pearl holds a 388-192 overall record.

The Tigers have dropped just one game so far this season, a double-overtime loss to UConn at the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in November. They have won 16 straight since then, including a convincing win over No. 12 Kentucky last week. They are set to host Oklahoma on Saturday as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl
Bruce Pearl led Auburn to its first ever No. 1 ranking on Monday. (John Reed/USA Today Sports) (USA Today Sports / reuters)