Having guided Missouri through one of its most successful seasons in recent history, head coach Eli Drinkwitz has earned significant rewards. The on-field success of 2023 has translated into substantial university investment, and Drinkwitz is now among the highest-paid coaches in the Southeastern Conference. The new contract includes several new commitments and increases his financial base, demonstrating the school’s confidence in his continued leadership.
As a Follow-Up to the Cotton Bowl Win and the Tigers’ 11–2 Season, Missouri Extended Eli Drinkwitz Through 2027 With a Salary Increase to $9 Million Annually.
How Eli Drinkwitz’s Salary Evolved from $4 Million to $9 Million.
Originally hired in 2019, Drinkwitz’s salary saw its first major increase in November 2022 when Missouri extended his contract through 2027, raising his annual pay from $4 million to $6 million. That deal included various performance incentives and reflected growing optimism around his leadership.
But after the Tigers put together a breakthrough 2023 season that concluded with an 11-2 record, including a victory in the Cotton Bowl, the university again extended his contract, this one to run through the 2028 season. This improves his salary to $9 million a year, placing him among the highest-earning coaches in the SEC.
Drinkwitz’s 2024 compensation is divided between a base salary of $450,000 and four separate payments totaling $2,137,500 to cover other responsibilities that include media obligations, promotional appearances, and booster engagements. This type of compensation structure is common among elite coaches at the college level, allowing for flexibility and performance incentives.
This further deal seems to directly affirm Missouri’s commitment to Drinkwitz, as it will most likely include postseason and recruiting bonuses.
How Eliah Drinkwitz Ranks with Other SEC Coaches
As a result of the 2024 raise, Drinkwitz now joins the leaderboard of highest-earning Southeastern Conference head coaches, sharing the fifth-highest salary. This places him in an elite tier of earners, especially at a time when competition for these jobs is intensifying, as evidenced by the offseason coaching carousel that dominates much of the sports news cycle.
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The new salary, therefore, appears to reflect both his past successes and Missouri’s vision for the future of its football program. After all, with the recent surge in performance at Missouri, Drinkwitz has provided much-needed stability to the program.
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