Indiana Football Coach Curt Cignetti’s $1.6 Million Raise Sparks Controversy After National Championship Triumph

So, here’s a coach who walked into Indiana in 2024, dropped the mic with his iconic “I win. Google me.” line, and turned a so-so Hoosiers program into a national powerhouse faster than you can say College Football Playoff. Curt Cignetti didn’t just lead Indiana to its first-ever National Championship—he essentially rewrote the playbook on what a fun, fiery, and fiercely competitive college football coach looks like. And naturally, when you change the game, the paychecks follow: Cignetti just snagged a shiny new contract bumping his annual salary to a jaw-dropping $13.2 million through 2033. Heck, that good-faith contract clause that most coaches probably dread ended up being a golden ticket for Cignetti, locking him in as one of the nation’s elite. It’s a masterclass in turning low expectations into a dynasty blueprint. So, can any program out there—or any coach—top what Indiana’s cooking under Curt? Let’s just say, try googling that. LEARN MORE.

Curt Cignetti is getting rewarded for his efforts. After leading the Indiana Hoosiers to the National Championship, Cignetti has earned his spot as one of the best football coaches in the nation. Now, the head coach is getting a new, reworked deal that bumps up his pay quite well.

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

Prior to the postseason, Cignetti and Indiana agreed to a contract extension after upsetting the Oregon Ducks in Week 7. The contract, worth $11.6 million per year, will keep the renowned head coach until 2033. Athletic director Scott Dolson expressed their intent to keep Cignetti around for the long haul.

“We are committed to investing in IU Football in such a way that we can compete at a championship level, and the No. 1 priority in doing that is ensuring that Coach Cignetti is the leader of our program.”

The reason why Cignetti was able to get a new contract was thanks to a clause in that previous contract. Pete Nakos shared the details of the good-faith contract clause and how that helped the Indiana coach.

“This is the result of the good faith review clause in his most recent deal signed this fall requiring revision to make him a top-three coach nationally if Indiana reached the CFP semifinal,” Nakos reported.

Cignetti came to the Hoosiers in 2024. While Cignetti enjoyed success in his other programs like James Madison and Elon, expectations were low for Indiana. However, the coach immediately caught everyone’s attention with his introductory press conference, where he said his now-legendary quote, “I win. Google me.”

After a surprise run to the CFP Playoff in his first year, the Hoosiers broke out this season as the most dominant college football program. They steamrolled their competition en route to an undefeated regular season and the first seed in the CFP Playoffs. From there, Indiana ran through Alabama and Oregon in the quarterfinals and the semifinals. In the CFP Finals, they outlasted Miami to win their first National Championship in history.

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