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LEXINGTON — The terms of Mark Stoops' separation with Kentucky football have been revealed.
UK announced Stoops' firing Dec. 1 after 13 years and back-to-back sub-.500 seasons. In firing Stoops before the end of his contract term (June 30, 2031), UK would've owed him 75% of his remaining salary within 60 days, according to an amendment made to his contract in 2017. That 75% amounted to about $37.69 million, as of Dec. 1, 2025, which ranks No. 5 in the SEC.
However, Stoops and Kentucky made an arrangement spreading out payments over multiple years, according to a copy of his separation agreement obtained Monday by The Courier Journal via records request.
Per the agreement, Stoops' is due $3,937,500 within 15 days of his firing; the last day UK could pay that amount would be Dec. 16. The remaining money would be distributed quarterly over the next five-plus years, with the final payment occurring April 1, 2031.
Each of the quarterly payments in the coming years will be the same amount: $6.75 million.
Stoops' payments are not subject to mitigation.
This means his future earnings — i.e., any coaching job he accepts going forward — will not affect the money he's owed by UK.
The winningest coach in program history, Stoops led the team to a record eight consecutive bowl game appearances (2016-23). The postseason streak ended last season with a 4-8 record and a 41-14 drubbing from archrival Louisville at home. Stoops' final season at the helm, in which UK went 5-7, ended Nov. 29 with a 41-0 loss to UofL at L&N Stadium, marking Kentucky's largest margin of defeat in series history.
"Mark Stoops gave us 13 incredible years of his life," athletics director Mitch Barnhart told reporters after new head coach Will Stein's introductory press conference Dec. 3. "We always wanna focus on the end. ... In the game of sports, you don't get a lot of happy endings where you get to walk off into the sunset and get to call it the way you want to call it.
"... I want to focus, for Mark, on the eight years that he gave us in that middle stretch. We went to eight straight bowl games and 10, 8, 10 (win seasons). That run we had in the middle, we hadn't seen that ever here."
Stein took a moment to thank Stoops during his first public appearance as head coach, which received a round of applause from fans and lettermen in attendance:
"I'd be remiss not talking about coach Stoops and what he's meant to this program. Really thankful for his 13 years here as the head ball coach. Kentucky football and Big Blue Nation would not be where they are now without him. So we all owe him an incredible amount of debt for his efforts and success here."
Stein arrives in Lexington by way of Oregon, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past three seasons (2023-25). He will finish his responsibilities with the Ducks until their season ends while also furnishing his inaugural UK staff and team. Stein played quarterback at Louisville from 2008 to 2012, where current UofL head man Jeff Brohm was Stein's quarterback coach his freshman year.
Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at [email protected] and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her "Full-court Press" newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports' biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mark Stoops, Kentucky football buyout agreement details after firing
Continue reading...
UK announced Stoops' firing Dec. 1 after 13 years and back-to-back sub-.500 seasons. In firing Stoops before the end of his contract term (June 30, 2031), UK would've owed him 75% of his remaining salary within 60 days, according to an amendment made to his contract in 2017. That 75% amounted to about $37.69 million, as of Dec. 1, 2025, which ranks No. 5 in the SEC.
However, Stoops and Kentucky made an arrangement spreading out payments over multiple years, according to a copy of his separation agreement obtained Monday by The Courier Journal via records request.
Per the agreement, Stoops' is due $3,937,500 within 15 days of his firing; the last day UK could pay that amount would be Dec. 16. The remaining money would be distributed quarterly over the next five-plus years, with the final payment occurring April 1, 2031.
Each of the quarterly payments in the coming years will be the same amount: $6.75 million.
Stoops' payments are not subject to mitigation.
This means his future earnings — i.e., any coaching job he accepts going forward — will not affect the money he's owed by UK.
The winningest coach in program history, Stoops led the team to a record eight consecutive bowl game appearances (2016-23). The postseason streak ended last season with a 4-8 record and a 41-14 drubbing from archrival Louisville at home. Stoops' final season at the helm, in which UK went 5-7, ended Nov. 29 with a 41-0 loss to UofL at L&N Stadium, marking Kentucky's largest margin of defeat in series history.
"Mark Stoops gave us 13 incredible years of his life," athletics director Mitch Barnhart told reporters after new head coach Will Stein's introductory press conference Dec. 3. "We always wanna focus on the end. ... In the game of sports, you don't get a lot of happy endings where you get to walk off into the sunset and get to call it the way you want to call it.
"... I want to focus, for Mark, on the eight years that he gave us in that middle stretch. We went to eight straight bowl games and 10, 8, 10 (win seasons). That run we had in the middle, we hadn't seen that ever here."
Stein took a moment to thank Stoops during his first public appearance as head coach, which received a round of applause from fans and lettermen in attendance:
"I'd be remiss not talking about coach Stoops and what he's meant to this program. Really thankful for his 13 years here as the head ball coach. Kentucky football and Big Blue Nation would not be where they are now without him. So we all owe him an incredible amount of debt for his efforts and success here."
Stein arrives in Lexington by way of Oregon, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past three seasons (2023-25). He will finish his responsibilities with the Ducks until their season ends while also furnishing his inaugural UK staff and team. Stein played quarterback at Louisville from 2008 to 2012, where current UofL head man Jeff Brohm was Stein's quarterback coach his freshman year.
Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at [email protected] and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her "Full-court Press" newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports' biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mark Stoops, Kentucky football buyout agreement details after firing
Continue reading...
