Arkansas Announces Contract Extension for Coach Sam Pittman

The deal will tie Pittman to the Razorbacks through at least the 2026 season.

Arkansas vice chancellor and director of athletics Hunter Yuracheck announced a contract extension for coach Sam Pittman on Thursday, tying him to the Razorbacks through at least the 2026 season.

The new contract raised Pittman’s base salary to $5 million annually with compensation escalators based on number of wins per season. He can additional bonuses based on postseason performance.

The new five-year contract for Pittman began retroactively on January 1, 2022 and is effective through December 31, 2026. The agreement has the potential to be extended an additional year through December 31, 2027 if Pittman leads the Razorbacks to seven wins in any one season. The seven-win threshold includes victories in bowl games against Power 5 or Top 25 teams during the term of the contract.

“Coach Pittman and his staff have done a tremendous job quickly restoring the pride and belief in our football program,” Yuracheck said in the school release. “There is no doubt, Coach Pittman has proven to be the right man to lead our football team. He has earned this opportunity with the success he and his staff have had on the field and on the recruiting trail. ... I look forward to continuing to work with Coach Pittman as we build our football program back to elite status.”

Pittman expressed his excitement to remain with Arkansas with a statement of his own on Thursday.

“Arkansas is where I want to be. This is my dream job. I am so grateful for our university and Hunter for believing in me, our coaches and staff and the program we’re building. We are all excited to continue to build on what we’ve done and continue to make our fans and the whole state of Arkansas proud of our football team.”

After only winning eight games combined in the three seasons prior to Pittman’s arrival as head coach, he won three games in year one before jumping to a 9–4 record and the bowl game victory last fall. He also holds one of the nation’s top recruiting classes for 2023.

Arkansas appears to be in good hands with Pittman fronting the program, and with this commitment, he will remain the coach of the Razorbacks for years to come.