TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – University of Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne announced Tuesday that head football coach Nick Saban and the University have agreed to a long-term contract extension. The new agreement will extend his current contract to eight years and keep him in charge of the Crimson Tide football program through the 2024 season. The base salary and talent fee will remain the same. There will be a contract extension signing incentive of $4 million with an additional $4 million spread out through the 2020 (10 percent), 2021 (10 percent) and 2022 (80 percent) years of the contract.

"Terry and I are pleased and happy to agree to the contract extension The University of Alabama has offered us, ensuring our time here in Tuscaloosa will continue for many more years," Saban said. "This has become our home and we are looking forward to finishing our career at Alabama. I want to thank President Bell, Greg Byrne , our athletic administration, football staff and the entire University community for all of their support, which has been instrumental in the success of our organization. We are extremely proud of the young men who have represented the Crimson Tide on the football field, and more importantly, what they have been able to accomplish in their lives off the field because of their involvement in our program."

Saban is entering his 11th season and he has led his Alabama teams to four National Championships over the last decade. He has coached five Southeastern Conference Championship teams at UA, including each of the last three years. Saban has won 10 or more games for nine straight seasons and led the Crimson Tide to appearances in each of the first three College Football Playoffs. A total of 36 players have won 40 first team All-America honors during his tenure while 65 players have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2009, including 22 first round picks. Those numbers are all the best in the nation during that span.

"It is an exciting day when we can announce that the best football coach in the country has agreed to a contract extension," said Byrne. "Before I came to Alabama, I was always impressed with Coach Saban and how he ran his program. After being here and seeing first-hand the job that he does, I've come away even more impressed. Coach Saban has obviously won a lot of football games and championships, but he has also done an outstanding job when it comes to academics and community service. I don't think you can measure the positive impact he and Ms. Terry have made over the last decade. We look forward to working with them for many years to come."

Over the past 10 seasons, Saban's teams have also excelled in the classroom with a graduation success rate of 80 that ranked fifth among Associated Press top 25 teams and was the highest in the SEC a season ago. The Crimson Tide had 22 players compete in the most recent CFP National Championship Game in January after already earning their degree. A total of 101 players have competed in postseason play with a degree in hand over the last four seasons, which is the most in the country.

"It is truly remarkable when you look at what Coach Saban has accomplished here over the last decade and how the success of the football program has raised the overall profile of our institution," said University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell. "Those accomplishments are not just on the field, as he has also done an outstanding job emphasizing academics and character development with our student-athletes."

Beyond the success on the field and the in the classroom, the Sabans have been very involved in community initiatives. Since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007, Nick and Terry Saban have raised nearly $6 million for charitable causes through their Nicks' Kids Foundation. Following the devastating 2011 tornado, they teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild a total of 16 homes. The Sabans have personally donated $1 million to UA's first-generation scholarship fund and most recently spearheaded fundraising efforts for the new St. Francis Catholic Church student center, which is named in their honor.