Curt Cignetti Shuts Down NFL Rumors With Major Contract Decision

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Rumors said Curt Cignetti could leave for the NFL. Indiana was quick enough to end that talk.

Cignetti agreed to a new contract that will pay him $13.2 million per year through 2033. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the deal on Wednesday and made it clear Indiana pushed hard to keep its coach.

“Per an ESPN source, Curt Cignetti has agreed to a new deal at Indiana that pushes his annual salary up to $13.2 million. The deal will go through 2033. Hoosiers have been the ultimate aggressors in keeping Cignetti,” Thamel wrote.

The new deal makes one thing clear. Cignetti plans to stay in Bloomington, and Indiana plans to keep building its program around him.

Cignetti’s Deal That Matches The Results

Cignetti has coached at Indiana for only two seasons. He already changed the program’s history.

In 2025, he led Indiana to its first national championship. The team also won its first Big Ten title since the 1960s. Indiana beat Ohio State for the first time in many years and defeated Alabama for the first time ever. The Hoosiers even won the Rose Bowl for the first time. On top of that, quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

Cignetti won two bowl games in his first two years. That matches the total number of bowl wins Indiana had before he arrived. His .931 winning percentage is better than any other coach in school history. It is also one of the best starts ever for a college football coach.

The players believe in him. Fans trust him. The school rewarded him with a new contract.

His success led to rumors about the NFL. Many people thought he might leave for the pros. Instead, he decided to stay with the program he rebuilt.

The new deal runs through 2033. By that time, Cignetti will be in his early 70s. He now has one of the highest-paying contracts in college football. Indiana clearly believes in what he has built.

In just two years, he turned a struggling team into a national champion. He proved that strong coaching, the right players, and school support can change everything.

Cignetti could retire today and still be remembered as one of the best. Instead, he chose to keep going.

Indiana made its commitment. Cignetti did the same. The NFL rumors can wait.