Former Indiana Center Mike Katic Hired By Barstool Sports

Mike Katic helped Indiana football set a program record with 11 wins in 2024, and now he’s joining Barstool Sports after exhausting his collegiate eligibility.

Katic, the starting center for the Hoosiers, appeared on Barstool’s live midday show, “The Yak,” on Monday to talk about the new venture. Dan Katz, also known as Big Cat and the host of “The Yak,” speculated that Katic could have been drafted between the fourth and sixth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Katic started 50 games on the offensive line during his six-year Indiana career, beginning in 2019, and he was voted a team captain in 2023. But instead of pursuing a professional football career, Katic took a job with Barstool.

“I’m pumped. This is what I think I was born to do,” Katic said on The Yak. “Football’s great, but I think this is my thing.”

“I’m so blessed to be here. Great decision. I was doing the combine thing today, and I was like, ‘You know, if this job didn’t come up, I would actually be training for the actual combine.’ So I’m really excited to be here.”

Mike Katic Indiana Football — Indiana center Mike Katic (56) snaps the ball to quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) during practice at Memorial Stadium. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Katic originally declared for the 2024 NFL Draft after Indiana made a head coaching change from Tom Allen to Curt Cignetti. But after conversations with Cignetti and offensive line coach Bob Bostad, Katic decided to withdraw from the draft and return to Bloomington for one more season.

He helped the Hoosiers achieve a historic season, making the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

“Best decision I ever made,” Katic said Nov. 30 after defeating Purdue 66-0.

Katic will officially begin at Barstool Sports on March 1, though it’s unclear what his exact role will be within the company.

“We don’t even know what he’s gonna do, but he’s here,” Katz said.

Katic may spend time working alongside former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, who was hired by Barstool in November.

“I’m pumped to work with him and break down film and just talk ball, man,” Katic said.

Barstool’s got our new center @KaticMichael and I already love him! pic.twitter.com/h7Px8sqti6
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) January 27, 2025

Katic’s profile page on the Indiana roster says he majored in criminal justice, but media appearances as a member of the football team inspired him to pursue a sports media career.

“It’s my passion, media,” Katic said. “I went to Big Ten Media Days in Lucas Oil [Stadium], and after that, people were coming up to me like, ‘You should be in front of a camera. You look natural up there.’ And I was like, ‘You know what,’ and then I did a bunch of interviews and podcasts throughout the year and I was like, ‘You know what, this is what I truly love to do, and I just want to explore it.’ Barstool is like a dream job of mine. It just happened so fast.”

Katic also has a fellow Hoosier to thank for connecting him with Barstool.

“Anthony Leal, who’s on the men’s basketball team – so Dave [Portnoy, who owns Barstool Sports] went to Hoosier Hysteria, which is like the basketball pep rally, and Anthony reached out to Dave on my behalf and Dave told him to email him,” Katic said. “I sent him three clips of me in the media, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re hired.’”

Katic’s appearance on “The Yak” begins at the 31:35 minute mark of the video below.

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