Indiana announces new 8-year, $93M contract for Coach Cignetti

Indiana Curt Cignetti has reached a new eight-year contract that will make him one of the highest-paid football coaches in the FBS, with an annual average salary of approximately $11.6 million, according to the university. announced Thursday.

Cignetti guided the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record and a surprise College Football Playoff appearance in 2024 in his first season at the school. This season, the No. 3 Hoosiers head into Saturday’s game at 6-0 michigan state,

one in The video was posted on Indiana’s social media accountsCignetti said, “I couldn’t be more proud to be a Hoosier, and I plan to retire as a Hoosier. The way this state has embraced us and our success in football means more to me than anything else.”

Hoosiers athletic director Scott Dolson says Cignetti’s new deal shows the school is “all-inclusive.”

“We didn’t come this far just to end up here,” Dolson told ESPN. “We’re doing everything we can, and will continue to invest, and make sure our priorities are lined up. That’s Priority 1, and then that’s retaining our staff, and he has the resources to build the roster.”

Cignetti, 64, was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and national coach of the year in 2024 by multiple organizations. The Hoosiers are 17–2 under Cignetti, including an 11–1 record against Big Ten opponents.

On October 11, the Hoosiers Then stunned – no. 3 Oregon 30-20 on the roadIt was Indiana’s first win against a top-five opponent since upsetting the then-No. 1 seed. 3 Purdue 19-14 in 1967.

To live in Bloomington.

: https://t.co/y9cinJXwps pic.twitter.com/kVFx6AbeM7

– Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) 16 October 2025

The new deal with Cignetti runs through the 2033 regular season.

“At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest level in everything we do, and no one exemplifies this more than Coach Cignetti,” Indiana University President Pamela Whitton said in a statement. “Simply put, Sig is a winner. From last year’s College Football Playoff appearance to this year’s top-three national ranking, the success of the IU football program has been tremendous.”

Cignetti, who previously coached james madison, ELON And Indiana University of Pennsylvania was expected to be one of the hottest names on the market before signing an extension with the Hoosiers.

Under his previous deal, Cignetti’s buyout was reduced to $10 million on Dec. 1, now down to $15 million under the new contract, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

If Indiana fires Cignetti without cause during his new deal, his $93.25 million is fully guaranteed, sources told Adam Rittenberg.

With the new deal now official, Indiana has eliminated any potential distractions surrounding its coaching staff as it pursues a second consecutive College Football Playoff bid.

“He loves football and he loves his family, and that’s his whole life,” Dolson said. “So to have his family in a place where they are comfortable, if you put aside the normal football support, but to be in an environment that they enjoy, and that’s very important, and I feel really good about that.”

Using the transfer portal, Cignetti has transformed the once-beleaguered Hoosiers into Big Ten title contenders. Before his arrival in the program’s 127-year history, Indiana had never won 10 games in a season. The Hoosiers did not have a winning record after going 6–2 in the 2020 season, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hoosiers went 9–27 in three seasons under Tom Allen prior to Cignetti’s appointment.