Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz has signed a contract extension through the 2029 season, the university announced Thursday.
While Drinkwitz is still set to earn $9 million in 2025, $9.25 million in 2026 and 2027, and $9.5 million in 2028 and 2029, the deal provides a significant increase in his allocated funds for assistant coaches’ salaries.
The extension was approved by the UM Board of Curators and includes an enhanced salary pool for Drinkwitz’s assistant coaches, strength and conditioning staff, and football support personnel. Athletic Director Laird Veatch announced the move Thursday morning.
“Coach Drinkwitz is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of building a championship culture,” Veatch said in a release. “This extension, along with increased investment in our coaching and support staff, reflects our commitment to sustaining success at the highest level.”
Drinkwitz, entering his sixth season at Missouri, has posted a 38-24 overall record. The Tigers are coming off back-to-back seasons with 10 or more wins for just the third time in program history. Missouri went 11-2 in 2023 and 10-3 in 2024, earning bowl wins over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and Iowa in the Music City Bowl.
Since the start of the 2023 season, Missouri is 21-5 overall and 11-5 in SEC play. The Tigers are 13-1 at home during that stretch and 10-1 in one-score games.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the continued belief in our vision for Mizzou football,” Drinkwitz said in a release. “That means investing in the people throughout our building who work tirelessly for our student-athletes. I’m proud of the staff we’ve assembled and excited to keep pushing forward together.”
The university also cited a surge in fan interest. Missouri sold out all seven home games in 2024, marking the program’s first full-season sellout since 1979 and its first perfect home record since 2010.
Drinkwitz is one of two coaches in program history — along with Gary Pinkel — to lead Missouri to multiple 10-win seasons. He’s mentored 16 players who earned all-conference honors and has coached 17 NFL Draft picks.
Missouri opens the 2025 season Aug. 28 against Central Arkansas at Memorial Stadium.
