Steve Sarkisian, Texas agree to 4-year extension through 2030

Steve Sarkisian has agreed to a four-year contract extension with Texas through 2030, the school announced Saturday.

Financial terms of the deal, which must be approved by the school's board of regents, were not released. Sarkisian's initial contract paid him nearly $6 million in 2023, and it's expected his new deal will push him closer to $10 million annually and among the top-paid coaches in the country.

The extension comes a day after Sarkisian reaffirmed his commitment to the Longhorns on social media after being linked to Alabama's high-profile vacancy.

"Coach Sark is an incredible coach, a first-class person and tremendous leader of men," board of regents chairman Kevin Eltife said in a statement. "Coach Sark has brought the pride and passion back in our program. We're so fortunate to have him and we're looking forward to many more exciting years ahead."

In a Friday post on X, the Texas football program posted a short video of Sarkisian with the caption, "Just getting started." Sarkisian posted the "Horns up" emoji in a response to the post.

"I said it when I came here three years ago, this is a dream job for me. It's a destination job, and I'm fired up every day to be the head coach at The University of Texas," Sarkisian said in a statement Saturday. "We're thrilled with what we've been able to accomplish and proud of the culture we've built and the way our players have grown -- on and off the field.

"But we're just getting started. I've said it all along, we've been building this program for long term success. We're here to chase greatness, win championships, and be one of the best in the nation year in and year out."

Sarkisian, 49, was the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach when they finished 13-0 in 2020 and defeated Ohio State 52-24 in the College Football Playoff National Championship. It was Alabama's sixth and final national championship under coach Nick Saban, who announced his retirement Wednesday after 17 seasons.

This past season, Sarkisian guided the Longhorns to a 12-2 record, a Big 12 title and their first appearance in a CFP semifinal. Texas lost to Washington 37-31 in a CFP semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. His teams are 25-14 in three seasons at Texas.

Sarkisian, a former coach at Washington and USC, also worked as an off-field analyst at Alabama in 2016, after he was fired by the Trojans.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.