Florida Makes Major Move to Keep National Title-Winning Coach
After winning the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Florida men's basketball coach Todd Golden has received his third raise in three years.
In a significant move, Florida's men's basketball head coach, Todd Golden, has extended his contract with the Gators. This comes after Golden's team secured a national title victory in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The initial report from ESPN reveals that Golden has received three raises in just three years, leading to an increased contract value of $49.5 million. This total contract value breaks down to an average annual salary of $8.25 million, with the deal extending through the 2031-32 season.
Golden's salary for the upcoming 2026-27 season will rise from $6 million to $7.5 million, reflecting his status as the highest-paid head coach in Florida program history. In comparison, only four other coaches in the SEC are projected to earn more than Golden next season, including Kansas coach Bill Self, UConn coach Dan Hurley, Arkansas coach John Calipari, and North Carolina's new coach, Michael Malone. Malone is also set to earn $7.5 million in his first season.
The buyout clause for Golden to leave Florida for an NBA team stands at $3 million for the 2026-27 season, decreasing to $2 million in the following season and $1 million in the 2029-30 season. For a move to another collegiate program, the buyout would be notably higher, reaching $13 million in 2027-28, dropping to $5 million in 2028-29, $3 million in 2029-30, $2 million in 2030-31, and finally $1 million in 2031-32.
However, as of now, Golden remains committed to leading the University of Florida Gators into the 2026-27 season, which kicks off on November 2 against Miami.
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