Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti could rank among top-paid coaches after CFP semifinal

A clause in Curt Cignetti’s contract will trigger a “good faith market review” after Indiana reached the College Football Playoff semifinals, and he signed a $93 million fully guaranteed deal in October that averaged $11.6 million per year.

Indiana’s appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinals activated a clause in coach Curt Cignetti’s contract calling for a good faith market review. The agreement that runs through 2033 was reworked twice during the Hoosiers’ run and included a fully guaranteed $93 million deal signed in October. After the semifinal, Cignetti’s agents and university administrators are expected to meet to discuss the contract. The program also extended key assistants as part of continuity for the 2026 season. Key points: - A contractual clause requires a "good faith market review" after Indiana reached the CFP semifinals. - Cignetti signed a fully guaranteed $93 million deal in October with an average annual compensation of $11.6 million. - The contract stated it would be waived if the school did not offer new terms making his annual compensation "no less than third amongst active head coaches." - Cignetti is reported to have earned about $2 million of a possible $3.3 million in 2025 bonuses, including payments for a conference title and reaching the playoff semifinals. - Indiana locked in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan to new three-year deals; Haines is reported as the program’s first assistant to make $3 million a year. - Cignetti’s career record entering the Peach Bowl was reported as 144-37 overall and 25-2 at Indiana. Summary: The triggered review is likely to prompt negotiations between Cignetti’s agents and Indiana officials and could affect his standing among the highest-paid coaches, as outlined in the contract language. Coordinators have been extended and bonuses for the 2025 season are near their maximum; the next formal step is the market review meeting between the coach’s representatives and university administrators.