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Nine NFL teams entered the offseason to fill their head coaching vacancies, and while some believe Indiana coach Curt Cignetti would be a good fit for several of those openings, he sees it differently.
Speaking to the media on Saturday prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami, Cignetti shut down speculation that he has any interest in making the jump to the NFL.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during media day prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game between the Miami Hurricanes and Indiana. The game will be played on Monday, January 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida, on January 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
“I made that decision a long time ago now,” Cignetti said via CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello. “Chuck Amato, NC State, in 2000. I had a chance to join [Green Bay] Packers. Tommy Rossley, Mike Sherman, [Brett] Favre was in his prime. I declined the opportunity. I almost took it. That’s where I made the final decision.”
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“I’ve always been more of a college football guy.”
Cignetti has had several coaching stints in college football but has never entered the NFL. His most notable — prior to his success at Indiana — was during his five seasons at James Madison, where he led the Dukes to three conference titles and an FCS national championship appearance. He left for Indiana with a 52-9 record.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti walks onto the field before the Peach Bowl NCAA college football semifinal against Oregon in Atlanta, Georgia on January 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Cignetti’s remarks come amid speculation that Las Vegas could be a potential fit, as Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is likely to be taken by the Raiders with the first overall pick in April’s draft.
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With those rumors settled, Cignetti and Mendoza’s focus can return to Monday’s title game against Miami.
The Hoosiers have gone 26-2 over the past two seasons under Cignetti, with only Miami standing between them and the program’s first national championship.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws a pass as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on January 9, 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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The CFP National Championship game will take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
