Georgia Made Kirby Smart College Football’s Highest-Paid Coach — But At What Cost?
When the University of Georgia handed head coach Kirby Smart a lucrative contract extension in 2022, making him the highest-paid coach in college football, it was hailed as a victory. Smart, who led the Bulldogs to their first national championship in 41 years, was richly rewarded with a 10-year deal worth $112.5 million. But as the cheers of Bulldog fans still echo, a critical question looms: at what cost?
Smart’s success is undeniable. His leadership has catapulted Georgia into the national spotlight, and for many fans, the price tag is justified by the trophies in the cabinet. However, the decision to invest such a staggering amount into a football coach — a figure that dwarfs the salaries of educators, researchers, and even university presidents — raises uncomfortable questions about the priorities of collegiate institutions, particularly in public universities.
The Financial Cost: A Strain on University Resources?
Critics argue that Georgia’s investment in Smart is symptomatic of a broader trend in American higher education, where the balance has tipped in favor of athletics over academics. While Smart’s $11.25 million annual paycheck has been justified by TV contracts, merchandise, and ticket sales, it’s impossible to ignore that public funds are often funneled into college athletics. This reality begs the question: how does a university justify paying its football coach more than its top professors?
The tension lies in what the university should be—a place of academic rigor and opportunity—or an entertainment hub whose financial focus is on sports. It’s troubling that academic programs face cuts or stagnation while the athletics department flourishes. Could that $112.5 million have been better spent on scholarships, research grants, or funding for under-resourced departments? The state of Georgia has one of the lowest per-student funding rates in the country; meanwhile, its flagship institution is paying a coach more than ten times what the governor makes.
The Human Cost: Exploiting Student-Athletes?
Beyond the finances, there’s the ethical cost. College football is a billion-dollar industry, but many of the athletes generating that wealth — often from underprivileged backgrounds — are compensated only through scholarships. Despite recent Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rule changes, which allow players to earn money from endorsements, the disparity between coaches’ salaries and players’ compensation remains vast.
Smart’s contract might look like a triumph of meritocracy, but it also highlights the ongoing exploitation of student-athletes. Players put their bodies on the line, risking injury and jeopardizing their long-term health for a chance at the NFL — which only a small fraction will ever achieve. Meanwhile, coaches like Smart rake in millions, cementing their legacy and bank accounts off the sweat and sacrifice of young athletes.
The Cultural Cost: Erosion of Educational Values?
There’s also a less tangible, but equally troubling, cultural cost. By placing such an outsized emphasis on football, universities like Georgia risk eroding the educational mission they were built upon. When a football coach is the highest-paid employee, what message does that send to students? That athletic prowess is more important than intellectual achievement?
The university system was intended to foster knowledge, critical thinking, and societal progress. When the culture revolves around football, students might come to value their school’s success on the field over its contributions to academic research or social advancement. The lines between entertainment and education blur, creating a sports-centric environment that feeds into a national obsession with college football, leaving academic goals in the dust.
The Ethical Dilemma: Prioritizing Wins Over Integrity?
Another dimension is the potential for ethical compromises in the relentless pursuit of wins. When a school invests so heavily in a coach, the pressure to maintain success is immense. This can lead to cutting corners in the recruitment process, bending academic standards to keep athletes eligible, or covering up scandals to protect the program’s image. The higher the stakes, the more tempting it becomes to compromise integrity.
Smart’s massive contract symbolizes Georgia’s all-in commitment to football, but it also underscores the potential pitfalls of a win-at-all-costs mentality. And it’s not unique to Georgia. Universities across the country face similar ethical challenges when they prioritize football revenue over academic integrity.
Conclusion: Is It Worth It?
Kirby Smart’s success is beyond dispute — he’s built Georgia into a powerhouse, and for many, that alone is worth the price. But for those who care about the broader role of universities in shaping society, his record-breaking contract forces a reckoning with deeper issues: the financial inequities within public education, the exploitation of student-athletes, and the cultural shift away from academic values toward entertainment.
As Georgia continues to bask in the glory of its football success, it’s worth asking whether the cost of making Smart the highest-paid coach in college football was too high — and whether the benefits extend beyond the end zone.