| Advertisement |
Pat Fitzgerald already has been spent 11 seasons as Northwestern coach and he could potentially coach the Wildcats for at least another decade after signing an extension through the 2026 season. The school announced the extension for the program's all-time winningest coach on Tuesday. Fitzgerald is 77-62 since taking over in 2006 and has recorded two 10-win seasons.
Advertisement
The 42-year-old Fitzgerald was a star linebacker for the school from 1994-96 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He became a Northwestern assistant coach in 2001 before eventually being promoted to head coach.
"This is home for me and my family, and I love this university," Fitzgerald, who grew up in the Chicago area, said in a statement. "I'm extremely privileged to coach the exceptional young men we invite here to earn the best education in college football and compete at the highest level in the Big Ten conference.
"The best is yet to come, and we're excited for the future."
The Wildcats went 7-6 last season and played in a bowl game for the seventh time in nine seasons.
Northwestern has participated in just 13 total bowl games. Fitzgerald has been a part of 11 of those either as a player, assistant coach or head coach.
Fitzgerald's previous contract ran through the 2020 season.
Northwestern also announced an extension for basketball coach Chris Collins through the 2024-25 season on Tuesday.
