Mark Stoops’ massive 2022 contract extension has remained a constant talking point among Kentucky fans and media. Many have wondered not just what’s included in the deal, but why it was finalized when it was. The timing of the agreement made sense given Stoops’ rising national profile and Kentucky’s momentum on the field.
At the time, Stoops had guided the Wildcats to two 10-win seasons in a four-year span a historic achievement for the program. Kentucky had also begun the 2022 season 4-0, including an impressive road victory over No. 12 Florida led by quarterback Anthony Richardson. That early success only amplified the buzz surrounding Stoops as one of college football’s most consistent program builders.
When Nebraska fired head coach Scott Frost, Stoops quickly emerged as a top candidate to replace him. CBS Sports and several national outlets listed him high on their coaching hot boards. The speculation became so intense that Stoops had to publicly address his future, even answering questions about Nebraska rumors during his weekly call-in show.
“It’s been a great ride and we’ve had a lot of good coaches, a lot of good players,” Stoops said. “(The caller) was the first one that had to open Pandora’s box this year and start talking about another job [laughs].
“I’m very content and very happy at the University of Kentucky. We have a lot more work to do here.”
When Auburn dismissed Bryan Harsin on Halloween in 2022, Mark Stoops’ name again surfaced as a potential candidate. The speculation surrounding both the Nebraska and Auburn openings reignited discussions about Stoops’ long-term future in Lexington. Despite having signed an extension after the 2021 season, the new coaching carousel activity pushed Kentucky back to the negotiation table.
The result was another lucrative extension finalized midway through the 2022 campaign a clear signal of the university’s commitment to keeping Stoops in Lexington amid national interest. The move aimed to stabilize the program and prevent other schools from luring him away during a period when his stock was soaring.
When asked about the agreement, athletic director Mitch Barnhart told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Tuesday that the decision reflected Kentucky’s desire to reward sustained success while protecting the program’s long-term continuity. The deal, though expensive, underscored the value the university places on Stoops’ leadership and the culture he has built within Wildcat football.
“We were 4-0 going into that, and there was a lot of talk around our program and a lot of talk around Mark (being in the running for other jobs),” Barnhart told the Herald-Leader Tuesday when asked about the impetus for that deal. “…Our fans wanted us to make sure we didn’t lose a guy that had been so beneficial to our program, and so we walked through that. We were thankful to be able to secure him as our football coach and keep him around and make sure that he was a Wildcat. And I’m still proud of that.”
Following Kentucky’s hot 4-0 start that season, things quickly cooled off as the Wildcats dropped three of their next five games. The timing of Mark Stoops’ contract extension added to the scrutiny — it was finalized the day before Kentucky suffered an upset loss to Vanderbilt. Rather than a formal announcement, the school quietly attached the news of the deal to a press release.
Since that extension, the program’s performance has struggled to match the momentum that initially earned Stoops the new contract. Kentucky has gone just 14-20 overall, with only four wins coming against SEC opponents a sharp decline from the success that once made Stoops one of the league’s most stable coaches.
The downturn has fueled growing frustration among fans and analysts, many of whom now question the long-term cost and timing of the lucrative deal. What was once viewed as a proactive move to secure the program’s future has instead become a symbol of stalled progress and unmet expectations in Lexington.
Mark Stoops’ current contract extension is one of the most lucrative in Kentucky football history. After his 10-win 2021 season, Stoops originally signed a deal worth $6 million annually, with built-in raises leading to $8 million by 2027. The agreement also ensured a minimum assistant coach salary pool of $6.5 million a move designed to help retain top coordinators and staff.
However, the 2022 renegotiation dramatically increased both his earnings and job security. The revised contract boosted Stoops’ salary to $9 million beginning in the 2023 season, elevating him to the highest-paid coach at the university and placing him among the top ten highest-paid coaches nationwide. The extension also tacked on three additional years, keeping him under contract through 2031.
Financially, the deal carries major implications for Kentucky’s athletic department. According to Jon Hale’s analysis, Stoops’ current buyout sits at a staggering $38 million roughly $10 million higher than it would have been had the 2022 extension not been signed. That figure makes parting ways with Stoops an expensive proposition, and it underscores how heavily Kentucky invested in its long-time coach despite recent on-field struggles.
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