Kirby Smart Bio And Facts

Kirby Smart is an American Football coach and former football player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Georgia. He gained prominence for being one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation when he was at the University of Alabama under Nick Saban.

Kirby Smart

Kirby Smart was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on December 23, 1975. He attended the University of Georgia, where he played defensive back, making first team All-SEC as a senior. He went undrafted in the 1999 NFL Draft, and later signed a contract with the Indianapolis Colts, but was cut before the start of the season.

Smart started his coaching career in 1999, going back to the University of Georgia as an Administrative Assistant. He then moved to Valdosta State as a Defensive Backs Coach and later a Defensive Coordinator. In 2002, Smart was hired as a Graduate Assistant at Florida State. Nick Saban then hired Smart as his Defensive Backs Coach at LSU in 2004, but he left after just one year to return to Georgia as a Running Backs Coach. Smart reconnected with Saban the very next year, following him to the Miami Dolphins as a Safeties Coach and then to Alabama as a Defensive Coordinator, where he would gain prominence as one of the best young coordinators in college football.

Kirby Smart finally got his head coaching opportunity in 2016 at his alma mater, the University of Georgia. Smart is the current head coach of the Bulldogs football program and has led the team to two CFP National Championships since he took the job.

Basic Info:

• Birthdate: December 23, 1975
• Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama
• Education: University of Georgia, Florida State University
• Net Worth: $25 million
• Annual Salary: $11.25 million
• Occupation: American Football Coach
• Height: 5’11
• Position: Defensive Back
• Years Active: 1995-1999 (Playing Career), 1999-Present (Coaching Career)
• Career Wins: 79
• Career Losses:15
• Nicknames: Kirb
• Teams: Georgia, Indianapolis Colts, Valdosta State, Florida State, LSU, Miami Dolphins, Alabama
• National Championships: 6 (two as head coach, four as defensive coordinator)

Social Media:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Charity Website

Net Worth

Kirby Smart’s estimated net worth is $25 million. He has accumulated most of his wealth from his coaching contracts. Smart’s defensive coordinator contract and initial Georgia head coaching contract were not made public. In 2021, Smart signed a 10-year contract extension with the University of Georgia that will pay him approximately $112.5 million, which is about $11.25 million per year. Smart is also sponsored by Ford, as he was featured in a Ford F150 commercial in 2019.

Career

Kirby Smart gained notoriety as a coach after he became Alabama’s Defensive Coordinator in 2007. Nick Saban took a liking to Smart after hiring him at LSU and later the Miami Dolphins. 

Under Saban at Alabama, Smart coached one of the best defenses in college football, year-in and year-out. Smart won four National Championships at the University of Alabama as Defensive Coordinator. These took place in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

After winning the 2015 National Championship with Alabama, Smart inked a deal to become the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Georgia. After a rough first season at Georgia, Smart made it to the National Championship in 2017, but fell to Nick Saban and Alabama. Smart would get revenge in 2021, beating Saban in the National Championship and capturing his first title as a head coach. In 2022, Smart led the Bulldogs to their second consecutive National Championship, becoming the first back-to-back National Champions in the CFP era.

Titles and Awards

Kirby Smart has won six National Championships in his coaching career. Four of these National Championships came as the defensive coordinator for Alabama in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015. In 2021 and 2022, Smart won back-to-back National Championships as the head coach of the University of Georgia’s football team. With Georgia, Smart has also won two SEC Championships and five SEC Eastern Division Championships.

In 2009, Smart won the Broyles Award, which is given to the top assistant coach in college football, as Alabama’s defensive coordinator. In 2012, Smart won the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Award. As head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, Smart captured the SEC Coach of the Year Award three times, in 2017, 2021, and 2022. In 2017, Smart won the George Munger Award, which is given to the National Coach of the Year.

Personal Life

Kirby Smart attended the University of Georgia, where he graduated with a degree in finance. He met his wife Mary Elizabeth Lycett at Georgia, who played basketball for the University. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Georgia.  Smart has three children: Wetson, Julia, and Andrew.

Fun Facts

• Despite being named Georgia’s head coach in 2016, Kirby Smart was on Georgia's coaching staff twice prior.
• Nick Saban hired Kirby Smart three different times. At LSU, the Miami Dolphins, and Alabama.
• Kirby Smart has won six National Championships as a coach, two as a head coach and four as a defensive coordinator.
• Kirby Smart’s wife played basketball for the University of Georgia.
• Kirby Smart went to graduate school at Florida State University.
• Kirby Smart is the only one of two former Nick Saban assistants to beat Saban in a game.
• Kirby Smart has won SEC Coach of the Year three times.
• Kirby Smart led the Georgia Bulldogs to become the first back-to-back National Championship winners of the CFP era.

FAQ