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Columbia Daily Tribune
Missouri football extends contract of head coach Eli Drinkwitz through 2029 season
- Story byColumbia Daily Tribune
- Missouri football extends contract of head coach Eli Drinkwitz through 2029 season
Eli Drinkwitz's contract has been extended by a year.
Missouri football announced Thursday morning in a news release that Drinkwitz's deal with the team has been extended through the 2029 season. It's his third contract extension since taking over the program, and his first since the end of the 2023 campaign.
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Drinkwitz's new contract does not appear to come with a pay increase. The head coach will earn $9 million in total compensation this season, as was the case in his previous contract.
After Jan. 16, 2026, his total compensation rises to $9.25 million. After Jan. 16, 2028, his total compensation becomes $9.5 million.
That means the deal in its entirety appears to be worth $46.5 million.
That means Drinkwitz, according to the USA Today database of coach salaries, is still tied for fifth among SEC head coaches, behind only Georgia's Kirby Smart, Alabama's Kalen DeBoer, Texas' Steve Sarkisian, and LSU's Brian Kelly.
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According to the database, his total compensation this year is on par with Ole Miss ' Lane Kiffin, Kentucky's Mark Stoops, and Tennessee's Josh Heupel.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the continued belief in our vision for Mizzou Football," Drinkwitz said in a news release. "The Board of Curators, President (Mun) Choi, (athletic director) Laird Veatch , and our donors and fans have shown a deep commitment to building a championship-caliber program. That means investing in the people throughout our building who work tirelessly for our student-athletes. I'm proud of the staff we've assembled and excited to keep pushing forward together."
"The consistent progress we've seen under Coach Drinkwitz's leadership is inspiring," Veatch said in the release. "This extension, along with increased investment in our coaching and support staff, reflects our commitment to sustaining success at the highest level. It's all part of our 'Will to Win' — a clear statement that we're building championship programs."
Jul 17, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz talks to the media during the SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Because there is now an additional year on his contract, his potential buyout increases.
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If Drinkwitz terminates the deal without cause — which can occur via resignation or taking another job — before Dec. 1, 2025, then he will owe the university $5 million. From Dec. 2, 2025 to Dec. 1, 2027, that decreases to $4 million; from Dec. 2, 2027 to Dec. 1, 2028 it is $3 million; and from Dec. 2, 2028 to Dec. 1, 2029 it is $1 million.
If the university opted to terminate Drinkwitz's contract, it would owe him 75% of his full remaining base salary and non-salary compensation.
That means, and this is purely an example and not expected, that if the university chose to fire Drinkwitz without cause today, it would owe him 75% of his remaining $46.5 million, which is a little less than $35 million. That number decreases every year.
Drinkwitz can earn up to $1.575 million in performance-based incentives and bonuses. The full total of that can only be achieved by winning the College Football Playoff title, which would come with a $1 million bonus.
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The head coach also will now have $12 million — up from $9.8 million — to spend on his coaching staff.
Drinkwitz was hired by the Tigers from Appalachian State ahead of the 2020 season. He is 38-24 as MU's head coach.
More: Missouri football offense depth chart projection: What competition looks like in fall camp
More: Eli Drinkwitz SEC Media Days: Five key takeaways from Missouri football coach in Atlanta
Mizzou won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons for just the third time in program history last season. The Tigers are chasing a third straight year with 10 or more wins in the 2025 campaign, something that has never been done in program history.
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Missouri will open its 2025 season — Drinkwitz's sixth in Columbia — on Thursday, Aug. 28, against Central Arkansas at Memorial Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football extends contract of head coach Eli Drinkwitz
