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Bruce Pearl attends Auburn at Texas A&M after retirement from coaching

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra09/27/25SamraSource
Bruce Pearl
(Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

Earlier this week, Bruce Pearl announced his retirement from his post as Auburn’s men’s basketball head coach. He was the leader of the Tigers for 11 seasons.

Now, he’s enjoying some time off by watching Auburn’s football team play in a huge SEC showdown against Texas A&M. Pearl was captured by TexAgs at Kyle Field in College Station. Check out the video below.

You can’t blame Pearl for drinking in some college football just a few days after his retirement. Auburn means the world to him, even if he won’t be on the sidelines any longer. Shortly after the news broke on Monday, he released a 14-minute video discussing his decision.

“Being the head coach of Auburn basketball is the privilege of my life,” Pearl said. “The opportunity to join with so many of the great, legendary coaches of the past and the present, I’m truly grateful. Eleven years ago, we planted roots, here, in Auburn, Alabama. And that won’t change. God truly had a plan. But, for me, it’s time.

“I’ve been a part of college basketball for almost 50 years, and the truth is it’s time. I told myself that when I got to the point where I could not give it my all, where I wasn’t necessarily 100%, where I couldn’t be the relentless competitor that you expected of me, that it was going to be time. And, as hard it is to say this, I reached the realization that it’s time for me to step aside.”

During his tenure, Pearl led Auburn to a 244-123 record, two SEC Tournament titles, three regular-season conference championships and the only two Final Four appearances in Auburn MBB history. His son, Steven, has been named Auburn’s next head coach.

Steven Pearl has been an assistant at Auburn since 2017. He was the team’s associate head coach from 2023-25.

Pearl has hinted at his impending retirement this offseason. During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show earlier this month, Pearl made headlines when he said he didn’t expect to coach through the end of his contract.

“I’ve got five years left on my contract, and I’d be surprised if I were to last five years,” Pearl said. “Let’s just put it that way.”

During his career, Pearl also served as the head coach at Tennessee, Milwaukee and Southern Indiana. He also was an assistant coach at Stanford and Iowa. Pearl was a manager for Boston College‘s basketball team until he graduated in 1982. 

— On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this article.