Tennessee Basketball gives Rick Barnes lifetime contract

Tennessee and Rick Barnes have agreed on a lifetime contract for the veteran head coach, athletic director Danny White announced on Thursday afternoon. Barnes has taken the Vols to back-to-back Elite Eights and has won 232 games in his 10 seasons.

The lifetime contract will automatically roll over to add one year, always giving Barnes three years left on the deal. Barnes would be owed 100% of what’s remaining on his contract should he get fired by Tennessee before April 15, 2028.

“I am beyond grateful to Randy Boyd, Donde Plowman and Danny White for their continued belief in our program,” Barnes said. “Tennessee Basketball would not be where it is today without the consistent efforts of so many players, coaches and staff members whom I am forever indebted to.

“Their relentless dedication and the unrivaled support of Vol Nation are truly why we have been so successful.”

Barnes previously signed contract extensions or had contract amendments in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018. 

Before Thursday’s contract news, Barnes was signed through the 2027-28 season and was making $5.9 million during the current contract year. He was paid $5.8 million last season and got $1.3 million in bonus money after taking Tennessee to the Elite Eight for a second straight time and just the third in program history. 

“Rick has taken our program to unprecedented heights,” White said in a statement, “and we are absolutely thrilled to have him continue coaching on Rocky Top for the rest of his career.

“He has constructed this program the right way, achieving elite-level success on the court while also ensuring that all our players excel off the court.”

Tennessee has been to seven straight NCAA Tournaments

The Vols went 30-8 last season, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 1-seed Houston at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tennessee went 27-9 in 2023-24, winning the SEC regular-season championship on the way to another No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The run ended against No. 1-seed Purdue at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. 

Barnes also led Tennessee to an SEC regular-season title in 2017-18, when the Vols finished 26-9. In 2022 Tennessee won the SEC Tournament championship for the first time since 1979, in the midst of a 27-8 season. 

Tennessee has gone to seven straight NCAA Tournaments under Barnes, seeded no lower than No. 5. Barnes-coached teams have made 29 NCAA Tournaments.

Last season Tennessee tied a program record with 14 straight wins to start the season and set a program record with five weeks spent ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25. It broke the previous mark of four weeks set by the 2018-19 team, which won a program record 19 straight games during the season. 

The Vols over the last eight seasons lead the SEC in wins (98), SEC win percentage (.685), are tied for first in total wins (201) and are second in overall winning percentage (.734). 

Tennessee has averaged 25.1 wins per season over last eight years

Barnes, who has a career record of 836-423, won 402 games in 17 seasons at Texas before parting way with the Longhorns in 2015 and almost immediately behind hired by Tennessee, who was looking for a third coach in three seasons after going through Cuonzo Martin and Donnie Tyndall. 

Barnes won 74 games in four seasons at Clemson (1994-98), 108 games in six seasons at Providence (1988-94) and 20 games in one season at George Mason (1987-88). 

Tennessee went 31-35 during the first two seasons under Barnes, but have averaged 25.1 wins per season since then. 

Barnes is second on the Tennessee wins list, trailing Ray Mears (278-112) by 46 wins. He’s responsible for six of the top-10 winningest seasons in program history, including tying a program record with 31 wins in 2018-19.

“I am incredibly thankful God brought me to the University of Tennessee 10-and-a-half years ago,” Barnes said. “It is an honor and a blessing to serve as the head basketball coach here.

“I have had the chance to meet so many wonderful people, both on and off campus, who have impacted my life. The Knoxville community means so much not just to me, but to my entire family.”