Navigating the vaunted SEC is always difficult, particularly for teams who are not historically among the “haves” in the conference. The Missouri Tigers know as much firsthand. With head coach Eli Drinkwitz having led Missouri to back-to-back 10-win seasons and bowl bids in each of his first five years in Columbia, the program isn’t letting the polarizing coach go.

Drinkwitz, known among college football fans for his dry humor and willingness to speak his mind, has inked an extension with the Tigers that will last through the 2029 season (essentially a one-year extension from his previous contract through 2028).

Missouri had previously extended Drinkwitz through the 2028 season at the end of 2023.

Drinkwitz’s extension will not be coming with a pay raise, but it does reportedly come with another valuable prize: A greater hiring pool for assistants, per ABC 17’s Nathalie Jones.

Eli Drinkwitz contract details

Drinkwitz is now extended through the 2029 season for Missouri.

He is slated to make $9 million in 2025, before his salary rises to $9.25 million in 2026 and $9.5 million in 2028. In total, that would put his deal at $46.5 million, per The Columbia Daily Tribune in the USA TODAY Network.

Eli Drinkwitz buyout

Should Drinkwitz abscond from Missouri, the extension also makes his buyout steeper.

He would owe the university $5 million if he leaves without cause before Dec. 1, 2025; $4 million if he does so between Dec. 2, 2025 and Dec. 1, 2027; $3 million from Dec. 2, 2027 to Dec. 1, 2028; and $1 million henceforth.

Drinkwitz’s name frequently crops up when marquee coaching destinations open up, but there has been little indication he intends to leave Missouri.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the continued belief in our vision for Mizzou Football,” Drinkwitz said in Missouri’s 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.”

Eli Drinkwitz Missouri record

Drinkwitz has built a solid record for Missouri in his first five seasons with the Tigers.

He is 38-24 with Missouri and has gone 2-2 in bowl games (the Music City Bowl in the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19), including wins in his last two bowl. Most notably, Missouri won the Cotton Bowl over an admittedly shorthanded Ohio State team in the 2023 season to cap off an 11-2 year, Missouri’s most wins in a season since 2014.

The Tigers will open their season Aug. 28 against Central Arkansas.