Golden Inks New Six-Year Contract with Florida Gators

Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden has signed a new contract heading into his fifth season leading the program.

Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden has signed a new contract heading into his fifth season leading the program. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Months after athletic director Scott Stricklin said that he was working to extend head basketball coach Todd Golden, the Florida Gators have finally done so.

Golden has inked a new six-year deal with Florida worth approximately $49.5 million, UF released on Friday. The deal, which makes Golden the highest-paid head coach in Florida men's basketball history, will start at $7.5 million during the 2026-27 season before eventually increasing to $9 million during the 2031-32 season.

Those yearly salary amounts include his base salary and other incentive payments.

NEW: Florida has signed head basketball coach Todd Golden to a new six-year contract, @JoeTipton reports🐊https://t.co/EHztgvx8fs pic.twitter.com/sq1HEAKbsJ

— On3 (@On3) August 28, 2026

Most notably, Golden's new contract includes updated information regarding his buyout should he eventually leave Florida for either an NBA job — an opportunity that became realistic after the Golden State Warriors reportedly had interest in Golden this offseason if Steve Kerr retired — or another college job. Golden was rumored to be a potential target for both Arizona and Kansas had either job opened up this offseason.

As it stands, Golden's buyout for leaving Florida for an NBA job is currently $3 million until March 31, 2027, when it will drop to $2 million for both the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. His NBA buyout drops again to $1 million if he leaves between April 1, 2029, and March 31, 2030.

The NBA buyout drops to $0 on April 1, 2030, nearly six months before Stricklin's current contract expires.

Meanwhile, Golden's buyout for leaving for another college job is $16 million for the 2026-27 season, $13 million for the 2027-28 season, $5 million for the 2028-29 season, $3 million for the 2029-30 season, $2 million for the 2030-31 season and $1 million for the 2031-32 season. However, if Stricklin is not the athletic director, that buyout drops to $5 million for the 2026-27 season and 2027-28 seasons, while the NBA buyout drops to $0 for the remainder of his contract.

Stricklin's current contract expires on Oct. 31, 2030, after the university is expected to finish its $1.45 billion renovation to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Golden's new contract is the third extension in the last three years at Florida after taking the Gators to the SEC Tournament Championship Game in 2024 and later winning the tournament and a national championship in 2025. He added an SEC regular season title in 2026.

Golden is 103-41, including three-straight 24-win seasons and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, across his four-year tenure.

Stricklin called extending Golden for a third consecutive season a priority last March.

"When we have talented, successful coaches, we're going to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are appreciated at the University of Florida," Stricklin said. "We've given Todd new contracts each of the last two years. He's a priority for the University of Florida, and we're going to treat him as such."

Golden, meanwhile, expressed his happiness in staying at the University of Florida last April in an interview on Barstool Live, emphasizing the program's commitment to financial support both in the NIL world and with revenue sharing.

“It is a great place to coach. Great place to recruit, too. For now, I am very happy, and I hope that I am at Florida for a very long time,” Golden said. 

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