It’s the end of an era at Auburn University. Head basketball coach Bruce Pearl announced his retirement on Monday after 11 seasons, fresh off a trip to the NCAA Final Four in March.
“I have been at this for almost 50 years, and truthfully, as hard as it is to say this, I reached the realization that it’s time for me to step aside,” Pearl said.
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What did Pearl accomplish at Auburn?
The 65-year-old Pearl led the Tigers to six NCAA appearances and two Final Fours. Auburn also earned at least a share of three SEC regular-season titles and won two SEC tournament championships during his tenure. His record at Auburn is 246-125.
Pearl made his announcement in a teary-eyed 14-minute video posted to Auburn’s social media channels.
“I told myself that when I got to the point where I could not give it my all, where I wasn’t necessarily 100% or I couldn’t be the relentless competitor that you expected of me, that it was going to be time,” Pearl said.
He leaves the program just five weeks before the 2025-26 season is set to begin, but said, “the DNA of the program won’t be changing.”
He’ll be replaced by his 38-year-old son, Steven Pearl, who played for his father at Tennessee and joined the coaching staff at Auburn in 2014. He became associate head coach before the 2023-24 season, but has no prior head coaching experience.
What impact has Pearl had during his career?
Pearl was the head coach at Tennessee, Milwaukee and Southern Indiana before his time at Auburn. He went to the NCAA tournament in all six of his seasons with the Volunteers but was fired in 2011 after being accused by the NCAA of recruiting violations, unethical conduct and lying to investigators.
The outspoken Pearl has long been regarded as a potential future politician. He has never shied away from controversy or a chance to talk about his faith. He thanked God after winning a game in the Sweet 16 in March, as it gave him the chance to deliver a political message at the beginning of a press conference.
“To give me an opportunity, just start this press conference really briefly and remind the world that Eden Alexander is still held hostage in Gaza right now,” Pearl said. “An American held hostage, and there aren’t enough people in this country that know his name.” Alexander was released by Hamas in May after more than a year and a half in captivity.
Will Pearl go into politics?
Pearl downplayed recent speculation that he would run for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a former Auburn football coach.
“Many of you know that I thought and prayed about maybe running for the United States Senate, maybe to be the next great senator from the state of Alabama,” Pearl said. “That would have required leaving Auburn. And instead, the university has given me an opportunity to stay here and be Auburn’s senator.”
Pearl will move into an ambassador’s role in the athletic department as special assistant to the athletics director, John Cohen, who called Pearl a college basketball Hall of Famer in a statement on Monday.
“I have seen BP coach over these last three seasons, not just games, but at morning workouts, and in the practice gym,” Cohen said. “It has been a pleasure watching Coach Pearl love the student-athletes so deeply and take pride in their success both on and off the court –– but also instilling in them what it is to be an Auburn man.”
Steven Pearl certainly has big shoes to fill; his father was named the AP National Coach of the Year in 2025, and his team spent much of the season ranked No. 1 in the country. The Tigers finished 32-6 and lost to eventual national champion Florida in the Final Four.
