After leading the Indiana Hoosiers to their first ever football national title, coach Curt Cignetti has finalized a new contract which will keep him at IU through the 2033 season.
According to multiple reports, Cignetti’s new deal will pay him an average of $13.2million per season.
At that average annual value, Cignetti is now tied with Georgia’s Kirby Smart and LSU’s Lane Kiffin as the highest paid coach in the sport.
Back in October, Indiana administrators announced a new deal for the coach which included a ‘good market faith review’ if the Hoosiers made the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Not only did they do that, the Hoosiers finished the season undefeated with a national title.
Per the terms of his contract, the review required the two sides to meet within 120 days of the CFP semifinal.
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti is now tied as the highest-paid coach in college football
A clause in Cignetti’s contract triggered a salary review after he won the CFP semifinal
IU would also be required to increase Cignetti’s salary to rank no lower than third among all active head coaches.
It’s the third time that Cignetti’s contract has been adjusted within the past two seasons. His initial deal was for six-years, $27million.
Since moving to Bloomington, Cignetti has put up a 27-2 record, won the national title and earned Indiana its first outright Big Ten championship since 1945.
Cignetti has hinted in the past that he wishes to retire at the school.
‘I couldn’t be more proud to be a Hoosier,’ Cignetti said. ‘The way that this state has embraced us and our success in football has meant more to me than anything else.’
