“I know my wife and I, it’s the best place we’ve ever lived, in Starkville,” Mississippi State University Head Football Coach Dan Mullen said last December in a Clarion Ledger article. Now, with Mullen’s $4.275 million contract extension, it seems Mullen, his wife and their two children will be staying in ‘Mississippi’s College Town’ for a while longer.
Mississippi State’s athletic director, Scott Stricklin, announced Mullen’s contract extension and pay increase at the Central Mississippi Alumni Chapter’s “Evening in Maroon,” Thursday.
“Dan has done a phenomenal job in leading our football team the past six years, and we’re happy to be in a position to reward his efforts while making sure he’ll be able to continue building a championship program for Mississippi State,” Stricklin said during the event. 
Under his previous contract, Mullen made $3 million a year. Mullen’s new contract includes a financial package that will average $4.275 million over the next four years. This salary surpasses that of coaches like Gus Malzahn and Bret Bielema, making Mullen the fifth highest paid coach in the SEC.
Justin Senior, a sophomore offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, said he and his teammates share Stricklin’s vision of building a championship program.
“We’re more focused on off season training and the upcoming spring practices, and the goal never changes no matter who the head is. We want championships.” Senior said.
Mullen’s new contract adds a fourth year to his current agreement, the maximum length of time allowed under state law. 
“It’s a privilege to represent our university, our program and our fans here at Mississippi State. I appreciate Scott Stricklin and our administration who have given us the tools and resources to be successful and develop Bulldog football into a national brand over the last six years,” Mullen said.
Mullen was named 2014 Maxwell National Collegiate Coach of the Year, as well as 2014 SEC Coach of the Year. 
No coach in the history of college football has led a team from being unranked to becoming No. 1 in the nation faster than Mullen did during the 2014 season. Mullen’s Bulldogs were the first team to achieve a No. 1 ranking in the program’s 144-year history and the first team ever to become No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Along with these accolades, the Bulldogs made an appearance in the Orange Bowl for the first time in school history and shattered dozens of individual and team single season records.
Mullen has achieved a lot of firsts since his introduction as MSU’s 32nd head coach in 2008. Mullen became the first coach at MSU to lead the Bulldogs to four consecutive bowl games, winning three of them. 
Fans recognize the success Mullen has brought to MSU and have shown major support for him and the team. He has coached in front of 19 of the school’s top-20 crowds during his time as coach. 
The success of Mullen’s team does not stop on the football field. The Bulldogs have improved their NCAA Academic Progress Rate every year since Mullen has been head coach. The team’s 2.76 grade point average is the highest in the program’s history, and 110 players have made it onto the SEC Academic Honor Roll since 2009.