BREAKING: Auburn’s Steven Pearl Rejects Historic $15 Million Offer from Rival Alabama, Would Have Become Highest-Paid Assistant Coach in NCAA History
In one of the boldest power moves of the college basketball offseason, Steven Pearl, associate head coach at Auburn and son of head coach Bruce Pearl, has rejected a groundbreaking $15 million contract offer from the University of Alabama—an offer that would have made him the highest-paid assistant coach in NCAA basketball history.
According to sources close to the negotiation, Alabama made the audacious bid to lure Pearl away from Auburn, intending to position him as the future face of their program while stacking their staff with elite minds. The offer reportedly included $15 million over five years, access to elite recruiting resources, and a pathway to a potential head coaching role.
But Steven Pearl said no.
“My loyalty to Auburn, to this program, and to what we’re building here with my father and this staff is bigger than any dollar amount,” Pearl said in a statement. “We’ve created something special. Walking away just isn’t in my DNA.”
The decision sent shockwaves through the college basketball world—not just for the eye-watering number attached to the offer, but because it signaled a firm line in the sand in the storied Iron Bowl rivalry, now extending deeper into basketball.
While Steven Pearl has steadily risen through the coaching ranks, this move—turning down a massive rival offer—cements him not just as a coach to watch, but as a figure whose values still reflect the heart of college sports: loyalty, passion, and a commitment to legacy.
Pearl’s Star on the Rise
Steven Pearl has long been seen as a potential heir to his father’s legacy at Auburn. Since joining the staff full-time, he has been instrumental in player development, game planning, and recruitment—helping elevate Auburn to national relevance and even a Final Four appearance in 2019.
This Alabama offer was reportedly not the first time a major program approached Pearl, but it was certainly the most aggressive.
“It was real. They wanted him bad,” one SEC insider said. “But this says everything about where his heart is.”
What This Means for Auburn
With Pearl’s rejection of the Alabama offer, Auburn not only retains a key member of its coaching core but sends a message to the rest of the SEC: the foundation in Auburn is solid, and their staff is here to compete.
It also raises questions about whether Auburn will counter with a raise or enhanced role for Pearl moving forward—especially after such a high-profile loyalty play.
For now, Tiger fans are celebrating the return of one of their own, while Alabama fans are left wondering what could have been.
