Florida agreed to a three-year extension with head football coach Dan Mullen on Tuesday, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Edgar Thompson.

Under the new contract, Mullen will receive $7.6 million annually beginning in 2022. His deal will carry through the 2027 season.

That will make him the fifth-highest paid coach in FBS and third-highest in the SEC, per USA Today. Within the conference, he trails Alabama's Nick Saban ($9.3 million) and LSU's Ed Orgeron ($8.9 million).

"Dan has done a tremendous job in his three seasons at Florida, and we are fortunate to have someone with his obvious talents and head coaching experience leading our football program," athletic director Scott Stricklin said of the move. "I look forward to working alongside him to support his vision for Gators football and our student-athletes for many years."

The Gators finished 8-4 in 2020, their worst mark since Mullen arrived prior to the 2018 season. The year culminated in a 55-20 drubbing at the hands of Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

Florida's record was somewhat deceiving, though, considering its three regular-season losses came by a combined 12 points. The team might've gone 9-3 as well were it not for Marco Wilson's throwing the cleat of LSU's Kole Taylor.

The NCAA announced in December that the Gators were guilty of recruiting violations, with Mullen failing to "promote an atmosphere of compliance."

The NCAA said Mullen and one of his assistants made improper in-person contact with a prospective recruit while meeting with his high school coach, a Level II violation. The coaching staff committed a Level III violation when it made impermissible contact with 127 high schoolers whose teams had stopped on campus and toured the Gators facilities prior to a tournament.

Since Urban Meyer delivered national titles in 2006 and 2008, Florida has experienced plenty of false dawns while attempting to replicate the success the program enjoyed under Steve Spurrier from 1990 to 2001.

Mullen's extension wasn't a surprise because he appears to be a safer long-term option than Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Ron Zook were.