Georgia Tech locked in Brent Key to a new five-year contract extension that will keep the coach at his alma mater through 2030, the school announced. The deal comes after Key guided the Yellow Jackets to a 9-3 record and a third consecutive bowl game — the first three-year streak for the program in a decade.
Key owns a 27-19 (.587) overall record in four seasons at Georgia Tech and has steadily transformed the Yellow Jackets into an ACC contender. The new contract comes with a significant raise, expanded resources for the current staff and funding for additional support positions, according to ESPN, as Georgia Tech continues investing heavily in football.
For the 2025 season, Key’s base salary was $4.15 million, which ranked 52nd nationally among FBS head coaches, according to USA Today’s coaching database.
“There is no other place or opportunity out there like Georgia Tech,” Key said in a statement. “Our goal is to build a championship program. I’m proud of the steps that we’ve taken towards reaching that goal, but I’m not satisfied. Building a championship program is not possible without everyone being aligned.”
The move also closes the door on speculation linking Key to the still vacant position at Penn State as the coaching search rolls on. With numerous candidates like BYU’s Kalani Sitake opting to remain at their current programs, the pool for Penn State has thinned considerably, leaving Georgia Tech’s decision to extend Key as a definitive move to retain momentum and keep the program competitive in the ACC.
Under his guidance, Georgia Tech posted a 7-1 record against nationally ranked ACC opponents, and the program is the only team to finish fourth or better in the ACC each of the last three seasons.
“Coach Key has brought our storied football program back to where it belongs,” Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera said in a statement. “He has delivered three-straight winning seasons and bowl appearances, reinvigorated the passion of our fan base and given us moments we will not easily forget.”
Georgia Tech spent just one week in the AP Top 25 from 2016 through 2024, but have been in the national poll for 12 consecutive weeks this season, climbing as high as No. 7 following an 8-0 start. For the first time in the 12-year history of the College Football Playoff rankings, Georgia Tech has appeared in all five early CFP rankings this year. The Yellow Jackets rank No. 22 as they await their bowl destination.
Before returning to his alma mater, Key spent time at several programs, including Western Carolina, UCF and Alabama, building a reputation as a top offensive line and assistant coach. He first came back to Georgia Tech in 2019 as assistant head coach and offensive line coach before being named interim coach in 2022 and permanent head coach in 2023.
Key was a four-year starter at right guard for Georgia Tech from 1997-2000, starting 44 consecutive games. He helped lead the Yellow Jackets to four straight bowl appearances and remains one of just a handful of Georgia Tech alumni to serve as head coach.
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