US EditionRick Barnes signs a lifetime contract keeping him as Tennessee's coach
Rick Barnes, 71, secured a lifetime contract with Tennessee, ensuring $6 million annual salary and solidifying his role following multiple SEC titles and seven NCAA tournament appearances.
- On Aug. 28, 2025, University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White announced Rick Barnes's lifetime contract raising his pay to $6 million annually, placing him among top-paid coaches nationally.
- Tennessee's sustained success — on court and in the classroom — includes Rick Barnes's 836 wins over 38 seasons, a 232-109 record in 10 Tennessee seasons, and a 3.54 team GPA with perfect APR scores recently.
- Financial terms include a $200,000 bonus and a $1 million per year repayment clause if Rick Barnes accepts another head job within two years, with Tennessee owing 100% of his salary if fired without cause before April 15, 2028.
- The move immediately secures Rick Barnes's tenure at Tennessee Volunteers with a three-year rolling contract and a sold-out 2025-26 season including an Oct. 26 exhibition vs Duke and Nov. 3 home matchup vs Mercer.
- Barnes's prior extensions — most recently September 2023 extension covering the 2027-28 season — underscore Tennessee's continuity, while lifetime deals like those of Bill Self and Tom Izzo remain uncommon.
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Tennessee's Rick Barnes Inks Lifetime Contract... But Why?
The Tennessee Volunteers basketball program announced on Thursday that head coach Rick Barnes would be receiving a "lifetime contract."The 71-year-old coach inked an extension with the Vols that would presumably keep him in Knoxville until he is ready to hang it up.My question, though, is why?What has Rick Barnes done to merit a "lifetime contract extension?"The Vols have consistently been one of the better teams in college basketball over the l…
·Nashville, United States
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Leaning Left9Leaning Right4Center16Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Center
Bias Distribution
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55% Center
L 31%
C 55%
14%
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