As the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes prepare for the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Saturday served as Media Day, with players and coaches participating in press conferences and interviews.
Along with fielding many questions about beer, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was asked about the idea of coaching in the NFL.
Cignetti, 64, has led Indiana to stunning CFP appearances in his first two seasons with the Hoosiers, and Indiana’s dominance this season has been particularly incredible. And Indiana Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza is viewed as a near lock to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.
So, with the incredible coaching performance Cignetti has shown at Indiana, the NFL speculation has followed. And with Mendoza likely going to the Raiders, and with Las Vegas having a vacancy at head coach following the firing of Pete Carroll, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum and others have floated the idea of Cignetti and Mendoza forming a dynamic duo with the Raiders in a coaching search that reportedly will be led by Tom Brady.
On Saturday, a reporter asked Cignetti, “If [an] NFL coaching job ever opened up, would you consider taking a job in the NFL?”
“I mean, I’m not an NFL guy,” Cignetti said. “I made that decision a long time ago when I went with Chuck Amato at NC State in 2000. I had a chance to go with the (Green Bay) Packers; Tom Rossley (offensive coordinator), Mike Sherman (head coach). (Brett) Favre was in his heyday. Kind of like an assistant. I think Darrell Bevell (assistant quarterbacks coach) got the job. I declined the opportunity. Almost took it. That’s when I made the final decision. And, yeah, I’ve always been more of a college football guy.”
So, that should shut down any talk of Cignetti going to the NFL.
ESPN’s Troy Aikman, who has been working with the Miami Dolphins to assist with their general manager and head coach search, recently questioned why anyone would want to be an NFL head coach.
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