AUBURN, Alabama — Welcome to the $2 million club, Kevin Steele.

The Auburn defensive coordinator agreed to a new three-year contract Auburn that began Jan. 1, according to USA TODAY. The contract will pay him $1.8 million and a $250,000 retention bonus if he is still employed following the conclusion of the SEC Championship Game in early December.

Auburn Undercover has requested a copy of the contract.

UPDATE (Nov. 1, 11:45 a.m. CT): Steele's contract was not signed until Oct. 17, four days following the Tigers' 30-24 loss to Tennessee. The loss was Auburn's third of the season. Tennessee had lost 11 straight games entering the trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Oct. 13. It was Tennessee's first win against an SEC West school since 2010.

Steele was a finalist for the head coaching job at Tennessee, his alma mater, following the 2017 season.

The contract was approved and signed by Auburn University president Steven Leath, with head coach Gus Malzahn and athletics director Allen Greene recommending the contract amendment with their signatures.

Steele was previously set to be paid $1.3 million in 2018 before the new contract was signed following the 2017 season, which ended with Auburn winning the SEC West title and advancing to the SEC Championship Game. Steele is one of three assistant coaches in the country to be paid $2 million or more.

LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is paid $2.5 annually as part of a four-year deal he signed in February. Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables earns $2.2 million this season in a five-year deal worth $11.6 million, according to USA TODAY.

Steele's new contract eliminates to bonus components, including the potential to earn up to $225,000 in performance-related bonuses and an $83,333 retention bonus after the 2019 season.

Steele will be paid a base salary of $1.9 million in 2019 and $2 million in 2020 as part of the deal.

Steele's contract came at a time that Auburn president Steven Leath and university officials agreed to a seven-year, $49 million deal with head coach Gus Malzahn in the days following a 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship in early December 2017.

Auburn was 10-4 last season with wins against then-No. 1 Georgia and Alabama, and back-to-back losses to Georgia in the SEC title game and UCF in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to end the season.

Auburn is 5-3 with a 2-3 record entering a clash with No. 20 Texas A&M on Saturday. Kickoff inside Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

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