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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 vacancies, he sees it differently.
Speaking to the media Saturday before the College Football Playoff national championship game in Miami, Cignetti dismissed speculation that he had any interest in making the jump to the NFL.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during media day before the College Football Playoff national championship 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,” Cignetti said, via Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports. “Chuck Amato, NC State, in 2000. I had the opportunity to go with the [Green Bay] Packers. Tommy Rossley, Mike Sherman, [Brett] Favre was at his peak. I turned down 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 has had several coaching stints in college football, but never moved on to 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 appearance in the FCS national championship. He went to 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 Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Cignetti’s comments come amid speculation that Las Vegas could be a potential option, as Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will likely be selected 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 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 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 pm ET.
