Details Released For Curt Cignetti’s New 8-Year Contract With Indiana Football

Football coach Curt Cignetti is set to make $8,300,000, plus potential bonuses, in the first year of his new contract with Indiana. Here are the full details of the new eight-year deal.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University released additional details Monday regarding football coach Curt Cignett’s new eight-year contract, which includes a significant raise and a much higher buyout if he left for another job.

Cignetti’s new contract runs through Nov. 30, 2032, according to the memorandum of understanding obtained by Hoosiers On SI through public record requests. That is a three-year extension from the contract Cignetti signed when Indiana hired him before the 2024 season. He signed the new deal on Nov. 16.

Compared to his first contract, Cignetti’s new deal almost doubles his annual compensation, includes a much higher pool of money for on-field staff and support, and raises his buyout.

Cignetti is set to make an annual base salary of $500,000 and receive an annual retention bonus of $1,000,000. The majority of his pay comes from annual outside, marketing and promotional income as follows:

• Year 1 Dec. 1, 2024 to Nov. 30, 2025 – $6,800,000
• Year 2 Dec. 1, 2025 to Nov. 30, 2026 – $7,000,000
• Year 3 Dec. 1, 2026 to Nov. 30, 2027 – $7,200,000
• Year 4 Dec. 1, 2027 to Nov. 30, 2028 – $7,400,000
• Year 5 Dec. 1, 2028 to Nov. 30, 2029 – $7,600,000
• Year 6 Dec. 1, 2029 to Nov. 30, 2030 – $7,800,000
• Year 7 Dec. 1, 2030 to Nov. 30, 2031 – $8,000,000
• Year 8 Dec. 1, 2031 to Nov. 30, 2032 – $8,200,000

That is a significant raise from Cignetti’s first contract, which paid him $3,500,000 in annual outside, marketing and promotional income during his first season and peaked at $4,000,000 by the end of the six-year contract.

The contract also allows Indiana and Cignetti to restructure his compensation so that up to $2 million a year could be deferred.

A new factor in Cignetti’s contract is that the university will pay him 85% of the amount owed under his agreement, if his employment is terminated without cause. If Indiana appears in the Big Ten championship game or the College Football Playoff at any point during the contract, including the 2024 season, that figure increases to 100% for the remainder of the term. 

The university also made a significant commitment to the on-field staff salary and support pool. That figure is $11,000,000 per year, allocated at Cignetti’s discretion. The previous combined figure for the salary, signing bonuses, retention bonuses outside marketing and promotional income of Cignetti’s 11 assistant coaches was $6,395,000.

Cignetti’s buyout has increased as well. If he resigns from employment prior to the end of the agreement, he’ll pay the university the following:

• Between December 1, 2024 - November 30, 2025 – $13,000,000
• Between December 1, 2025 - November 30, 2026 – $10,000,000
• Between December 1, 2026 - November 30, 2027 – $9,000,000
• Between December 1, 2027 - November 30, 2028 – $8,000,000
• Between December 1, 2028 - November 30, 2029 – $6,000,000
• Between December 1, 2029 - November 30, 2030 – $3,000,000
• Between December 1, 2030 - November 30, 2031 – $3,000,000
• Between December 1, 2031 - November 30, 2032 – $1,000,000

Compared to Cignetti’s first contract, that is an increase of $5,000,000 within the first time frame, $4,000,000 within the second and similarly throughout the rest of the deal. 

There are also several aspects of the new contract that are identical to the first. Cignetti’s new contract includes the same bonus structure and pay as his first deal. The following bonuses are not cumulative, and the highest figure in each category will apply.

Cignetti would receive a $100,000 bonus for Indiana’s fifth Big Ten win, or a $150,000 bonus for its sixth win in conference play. 

If Indiana finishes sixth or higher out of 18 Big Ten teams, he would receive a $250,000 bonus, or a $500,000 bonus for a second-place finish, or a $1,000,000 bonus for a Big Ten championship. 

If Indiana makes a bowl appearance that is not part of the College Football Playoff, Cignetti would receive an annual bonus of $200,000, which would increase an additional $50,000 if Indiana wins the bowl game.

The bonuses increase significantly if Cignetti leads the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff. A first round appearance results in a $500,000 bonus, followed by a $600,000 bonus for a quarterfinal appearance and a $700,000 bonus for a semifinal appearance. If Indiana becomes the national runner-up, Cignetti would receive a $1,000,000 bonus, and he’d receive a $2,000,000 bonus for winning the national championship. These bonuses are not cumulative, and the highest finish will apply.

The new contract does not include one clause from the previous deal. Cignetti will no longer receive an automatic one-year contract extension, pay raise and increase to the assistant coach salary pool for each bowl appearance.

Cignetti winning the Big Ten Coach of the Year Award by either the Big Ten Conference Coaches (Hayes-Schembeckler) or by the Big Ten Media Voting Panel (Dave McClain), would result in a maximum bonus of $50,000.

He could earn an additional $100,000 bonus if awarded any of the following national coach of the year awards: Associated Press, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Sporting News, Walter Camp, Maxwell Football Club, or ABC/ESPN.

Cignetti’s new contract pays an annual allowance of $10,000 for personal orders of adidas products and a $25,000 per-year courtesy car allowance. He also receives eight season football tickets, three parking passes for all games, 25 single-game football tickets, four season basketball tickets, two season parking passes for men’s basketball, two season passes to all home sporting events and credentials for football and men’s basketball. 

The contract also includes up to 50 hours of personal private plane use per year, unlimited family use of the Pfau Golf Course and meals at the athletic dining facility. He also has sole ownership of youth camps, with retention of all net proceeds and the opportunity to rent Indiana athletics facilities for the camps. 

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