Adam Schefter moved quickly this week to cut down growing speculation connecting Curt Cignetti to the NFL, saying there has been no indication the Indiana coach is looking to leave Bloomington.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t heard anything about Curt Cignetti going to the NFL,\u201d Schefter said on Wednesday’s Pat McAfee Show. \u201cNobody has said to me that he\u2019s looking to go to the NFL.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comments came right before Indiana\u2019s College Football Playoff semifinal, as Cignetti\u2019s rapid turnaround of the Hoosiers has fueled outside interest. Indiana is playing for a spot in the national championship game behind a roster stacked with pro-level talent and\u00a0 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I haven’t heard anything about Curt Cignetti going to the NFL..<\/p>\n
Nobody has said to me that he’s looking to go to the NFL” ~ @AdamSchefter<\/a> #PMSLive<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zyA8knH3EJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Cignetti\u2019s longtime mentor, Nick Saban, agreed with Schefter, questioning whether Cignetti would even want to make the jump. Saban explained the challenges college coaches face transitioning to the NFL without prior league experience. He also cited differences in roster construction, salary caps and organizational structure.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never talked to Curt about going to the NFL,\u201d Saban told McAfee. \u201cI don\u2019t really know that he has any interest in doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n More:\u00a0Ohio State makes major change to iconic uniforms ahead of upcoming season<\/a><\/p>\n Indiana moved swiftly in October to secure its coach, signing Cignetti to an eight-year extension worth approximately $11.6 million annually. Any postseason success could raise that number again, particularly if NFL teams come calling.<\/p>\n Cignetti also benefits from something the NFL cannot offer, which\u00a0 significant booster backing. Billionaire Mark Cuban has reportedly provided major financial support for Indiana\u2019s transfer portal efforts<\/a>, further strengthening the program\u2019s long-term outlook.<\/p>\n For now, Cignetti\u2019s focus remains firmly on the Hoosiers\u2019 historic postseason run. After that, we’ll see where the road takes him but it doesn’t seem to go far from Indiana.\u00a0<\/p>\n More college football news:\u00a0<\/p>\n