Indiana’s Curt Cignetti reveals his stance on NFL coaching interest as rumors persist

Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti isn’t looking to parlay his wildly successful season into an NFL coaching job.

The undefeated, top-ranked Hoosiers (15-0) will look to complete a perfect season under Cignetti’s leadership when they face No. 10 Miami (13-2) in the College Football Playoff National Championship Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Cignetti, 64, signed an eight-year contract extension with Indiana in October, and he reiterated Saturday that he isn’t looking to go anywhere else.

“I’m not an NFL guy. I made this decision a long time ago,” Cignetti told reporters in Miami.

“I’ve always been a college football guy.”

Cignetti, 64, is in his second season in Bloomington after five years coaching at James Madison.

The Pittsburgh native would likely be considered a hot commodity at the college and professional levels, and his hometown Steelers suddenly have an opening following the resignation earlier this month of longtime head coach Mike Tomlin.

There has also been speculation about whether the Raiders, who own the No. 1 pick, might pursue him to team up with Indiana quarterback and expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

Penn State also recently changed coaches, firing James Franklin in October and replacing him with former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.

Cignetti’s father, Frank Cignetti Sr., is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after a 30-year career as a head coach at West Virginia and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The elder Cignetti died in 2022.