Husker football head coach Matt Rhule signs two-year contract extension
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule signed a contract extension on Thursday, the university announced.
The extension keeps Rhule at Nebraska through 2032 and includes a $15 million buyout this year, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
There’s also a clause in the contract that raises Rhule’s salary by $1 million each time Nebraska qualifies for the College Football Playoffs, Thamel reported.
The two additional years in the contract are set at $12.5 million, and the deal remains 90% guaranteed, according to Thamel.
This season, Rhule is making $8.5 million.
Sources: Nebraska coach Matt Rhule signed a two-year contract extension this morning, which will take him through the 2032 season. It includes a $15 million buyout this year that effectively eliminates him from any jobs in this coaching cycle. pic.twitter.com/k0oCne5SHH
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 30, 2025
The extension comes weeks after Rhule’s name was thrown in the ring to take over the Penn State job after James Franklin was fired.
In a video on social media, Rhule thanked University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold and Athletic Director Troy Dannen.
“At the end of the day, this was a decision about finding a home and being and staying here and making this our home,” he said.
“At the end of the day this was a decision about finding a home and staying here and making this our home and we couldn’t be more grateful”
Coach Rhule is staying home #GBR pic.twitter.com/aungePF26F
— houserhules (@houserhules) October 30, 2025
“Coach Rhule has shown he is the right leader at the right time for Nebraska Football. We look forward to him and his family being in Lincoln for a long time,” Dannen said in a statement. “Our program has seen significant progress under Matt’s leadership, and at this stage in the evolution of the program continuity and stability are critical. I welcome the opportunity to continue to partner with Matt and his staff to build a program that will make everyone associated with Nebraska Football proud. Go Big Red!”
