Athletic Department Reacts To Josh Heupel's New Deal

The athletic department put out statements after head coach Josh Heupel inked a new deal with the Tennessee Volunteers.

Head coach Josh Heupel and Tennessee agreed on a reworked extension on Tuesday afternoon. The new contract carries through January 2029 and includes a $9 million salary.

Decisions like this are only made with the consent of several critical higher-ups in the athletic department. Heupel's resume speaks for itself; 18-8 in two seasons with seven ranked wins while carrying an inherited roster is impressive.

Nonetheless, the athletic department spent a long time weighing out giving Heupel this extension. They ultimately decided it was warranted, and their statements would back that.

Athletic Director Danny White congratulated Heupel on the news, saying he embodies everything Tennessee is about. The partnership has worked well thus far and should continue that relationship in the future.

"The results over Josh's first two seasons speak for themselves. He and his staff have energized both our football program and our fanbase with an aggressive brand of football, a competitive culture that creates leaders and a relentless approach to raising the bar every single day. Despite a brief period of dormancy, Tennessee never surrendered its status as a college football powerhouse. We just needed an innovative leader like to reignite the spark. It's been fun to crash the party, but as Josh said after our Orange Bowl triumph, the best is yet to come."

Heupel also put out a statement thanking players, fans, staff, and the athletic department for allowing him his current position.

"I am grateful to President Boyd, Chancellor Plowman, Danny White and of Vol Nation for their tremendous support. Our staff takes great pride in representing the Power T, and it's something we never take for granted. We will continue to work tirelessly to build a championship program that all of Vol Nation and all VFLs can be proud of. Most importantly, our players are the people who deserve all of the credit for our resurgence on Rocky Top. Over the last two years, they believed in us and poured their energy into every single day with hard work, leadership, cohesiveness and consistent habits. I am proud to be their coach."

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