Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are making their final preparations for Friday night’s showdown against the Oregon Ducks in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Over the last two years, Cignetti has put the Hoosiers back on the map. Indiana has never been a football school, but he has found a way to change that. Now, his name has become popular as a potential NFL head coaching candidate down the road.
With that in mind, legendary college football coach Nick Saban took some time to speak out on the matter during an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show.” He made it clear that he doesn’t see a jump to the professional ranks in Cignetti’s future.
“I’ve never talked to Curt about going to the NFL,” Saban said. “I don’t really know that he has any interest in doing that. I will say this, though, it is a fairly difficult transition to go from college to the NFL if you’ve never been in the NFL before.”
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There is no question that Cignetti has become one of the best head coaches in college football. Since taking over as the Hoosiers’ head coach last season, he has led the program to a 25-2 record.
Should Indiana defeat Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers would move on to play for a national championship against the red-hot Miami Hurricanes.
A move to the NFL could very well be on the table for him if he were interested. Plenty of teams at the professional level need new head coaches. However, he recently locked in a new deal with Indiana.
Back on October 16, 2025, Cignetti inked a new deal with the Hoosiers. It was an eight-year deal worth an annual compensation of around $11.6 million.
He has been all-in on Indiana since becoming the program’s head coach. It would be a complete shock to see him move on for the NFL.
Indiana’s Transfer Portal Success Has the Future Looking Bright
Soobum Im/Getty ImagesEUGENE, OREGON – OCTOBER 11: Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers enters the field before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
Even with the Hoosiers still competing in the College Football Playoff, Cignetti has been doing excellent work in the NCAA transfer portal.
So far, he has been able to secure commitments from quite a few high-profile players. Among those additions for 2026 are quarterback Josh Hoover, wide receiver Nick Marsh, edge rusher, Tobi Osunsanmi, and more.
While Indiana was facing some scrutiny about the future and simply being a flash in the pan championship contender, Cignetti clearly has other plans. He puts in the work, which is exactly why the Hoosiers are in the situation they are in.
It’s entirely possible that Cignetti could consider a move away from Indiana. However, fans shouldn’t panic too much. There are very few head coaches throughout the world of college football who are more all-in on their job than Cignetti.
Saban’s words reflect both a strong belief in what Cignetti is doing with the Hoosiers, but also send a warning. The NFL may be more prestigious in some aspects, but college coaches don’t always find success when making the jump.
Nick Saban Gets Honest on Indiana HC Curt Cignetti’s NFL Future