Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti agrees to new contract

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After leading Indiana to its best start in program history, coach Curt Cignetti agreed to a new contract, the school announced Saturday morning.

IU and Cignetti have agreed to an eight-year contract with an average annual compensation of $8 million, plus an additional annual retention bonus of $1 million. Cignetti’s new contract runs until the 2032 season.

“I am beyond grateful for the tremendous commitment, trust and support of President Pam Whitten and Athletic Director Scott Dolson. Manette and I love Bloomington and are grateful for the way the IU community has embraced us,” Cignetti said in a news release. “I look forward to leading this outstanding program and doing my part to continue the momentum for Hoosier football.”

This is a significant step up from the contract Cignetti signed to become Indiana’s coach ahead of the 2024 season. He was set to earn $4 million in 2024, plus bonuses based on wins and awards, as part of a contract that ran through the 2029 season.

Cignetti’s new contract includes three additional years and nearly doubles the average annual compensation. Including the annual retention bonus, the $9 million per year figure would make Cignetti the 10th highest-paid college football coach in the country and second highest in the Big Ten behind Ohio State’s Ryan Day, according to USA today.

“Since arriving on campus, Coach Cignetti has been the architect of one of the greatest changes in college football and has shown the world that IU is a football school, too,” said IU President Pamela Whitten. “Coach Cignetti exemplifies IU’s goal to win in everything we do. The success he has brought to Indiana football shines a light on all that is great about Indiana University. We are thrilled that Coach Cignetti and his wonderful family will be a part of the Hoosier Nation for many years to come.”

“After first meeting with Coach Cignetti, we felt confident that he was a perfect fit for what we were trying to build with our football program,” said Scott Dolson, IU vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “We believed IU could be a winning program and we love what he is building here. We love the student-athletes he brings here. We love how our fan base has rallied around this team and made Memorial Stadium the place to be on Saturday afternoons. And now we’re excited that he’ll be doing all those things here in Bloomington for a long time to come.”

The new contract was announced during a bye week in the middle of Indiana’s 10-0 season. With the Hoosiers’ 20-15 victory over Michigan last Saturday, they secured the first 10-win season in program history. Indiana moved up to No. 5 in both games College Football Playoff rankings and the AP Top 25 Poll after beating Michigan.

A Big Ten title and a spot in the playoffs are within reach when Indiana travels to No. 2 Ohio State for a noon ET kickoff on Nov. 23. The Hoosiers are 7-0 in Big Ten play, good for a tie for first place with No. 1. 1 Oregon.

Cignetti’s hiring has led to immediate record-breaking success, and his new contract shows Indiana’s increasing commitment to sustaining that success.