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Nine NFL teams entered the offseason looking to fill their head coaching vacancies, and while some believe Indiana coach Curt Cignetti would be a great fit for several of those openings, he sees things differently.
Speaking to the media Saturday before the College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami, Cignetti shut down speculation that he has any interest in making a jump to the NFL.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during media day before the College Football Playoff national championship game between the Miami Hurricanes and Indiana. The match will be played on Monday, January 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida on January 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
“I made this decision a long time ago now,” Cignetti said, via Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports. “Chuck Amato, NC State, in 2000. I had the chance to go there with the [Green Bay] Packers. Tommy Rossley, Mike Sherman, [Brett] Favre was at his peak. I declined the opportunity. I almost took it. That’s when I made the final decision.”
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“I’ve always been more of a college football guy.”
Cignetti served in several coaching roles in college football, but never made it to the NFL. His most notable – before his success at Indiana – came 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 on the field before the NCAA Peach Bowl College Football Playoff 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 candidate, as Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will likely be taken by the Raiders with the first pick in April’s draft.
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With those rumors settled, Cignetti and Mendoza’s attention can return to Monday’s title game against Miami.
The Hoosiers are 26-2 over the past two seasons under Cignetti and only Miami stands between them and the program’s first national championship.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws a pass as the Oregon Ducks take on 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.
