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Curt Cignetti earns insane bonus on top of his $93M contract for Indiana natty

The Hoosiers’ coach raked it in with a perfect 16-0 season that delivered the school’s first-ever football national championship.
Matt Ryan|
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks the sideline Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game against the Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks the sideline Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, during the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game against the Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Curt Cignetti just led the Indiana Hoosiers to the school’s first football national championship in one of the most incredible turnaround in sports history. He’s also a lot richer for it.

The Hoosiers held on to defeat the Miami Hurricanes in their home stadium, 27-21, to complete a perfect 16-0 season.

The coach cracked a smile afterward and said he was “gonna have a beer.”

RELATED: Curt Cignetti's $2.6M compound makes Tyrese Haliburton's mansion look tiny

Cignetti is now 27-2 in first two seasons at Indiana after coming over from James Madison.

The 64-year-old coach is also making a lot more on his contract. In 2023 in his final season at JMU he was making $677,311, whereas now he’s earning $11.6M per year to coach the Hoosiers on an eight-year, $93M contract.

RELATED: Fernando Mendoza shares emotional hug with mom Elsa after Indiana beats Miami

Cignetti giant bonus payday

And that’s not all: Based in the language of his contract Cignetti has several bonuses that amounted to $6M this season with the perfect record and the national title. Winning the game on Monday alone netted him a cool $2M more. Here’s a full breakdown.

No doubt the school and fans think he’s worth every penny. Just watch this reaction from fans watching the game back in Bloomington, Indiana.

It’s clear it’s no longer just a basketball school.

Cignetti also did this without one 5-star recruit on the Hoosiers roster. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy this season, was only a 3-star recruit himself.

This team beat Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, then rolled Alabama and Oregon before defeating Miami. All those schools combined have enough 5 stars to make up a starting team.

Cignetti and Indiana aren’t going anywhere anytime soon either.

Again, worth every penny

Curt Cignetti and the Indiana tea
Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti talks with his team as they grab the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Matt Ryan
MATT RYAN

Matt Ryan is a dedicated sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in digital and linear media. After receiving a Masters in Journalism from USC, he’s worked for Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, USA Today Sports Media Group, and Bally Sports, while holding various leadership roles along the way.

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