Many coaches have made the leap from the NCAA to the NFL. Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh are a few of the many high-level coaches to take on roles at both the collegiate and professional levels, although with varying degrees of success.
Could Curt Cignetti be next? The Indiana Hoosiers’ head coach, who has turned his program into arguably the best in the country in the span of two years, has been speculated as a potential NFL candidate, although there are limited signs of that possibility. More specifically, Cignetti has generated some buzz among fans in connection with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With Mike Tomlin moving on from the Steelers this offseason, Cignetti is one fascinating name who could make sense for Pittsburgh, if the two sides show interest.
Here’s what to know about the rumors suggesting Cignetti could leave Indiana for the Steelers.
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Curt Cignetti Steelers coaching rumors
The Steelers aren't an organization which cycles through head coaches very often. It's been decades since they needed a new coach, which is why it's expected that the Rooney family, the owners of the franchise, will be very careful about who they hire to lead Pittsburgh's next era. In terms of proven voices in the coaching world who could be available in the right circumstance, Cignetti's presence is hard to ignore.
The Hoosiers head coach has helped his program go from Big Ten bottom-feeder to national championship favorite in the span of just two years — the kind of work that makes many wonder how successful Cignetti could be in the pros. And with Cignetti having some connections to the western Pennsylvania area and the Steelers being a fit for his hard-nosed, serious mentality, it's not hard to envision him on NFL sidelines in black and gold.
However, there has yet to be any real indications that Cignetti is willing to depart from Indiana. He signed an extension with the Hoosiers during the 2025 season, just as other high-profile jobs were starting to open up that he was being connected to. And until Indiana's final game of the season, the College Football Playoff championship game, is over, it's extremely unlikely there would be any indications of Cignetti leaving his team.
In fact, Chris Vannini, a college football reporter at The Athletic, shot down the idea on Tuesday.
"If you're wondering about Curt Cignetti and the Steelers, worth remembering that Tomlin, Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll were all 37 or younger when they got the Steelers job," Vannini posted on X. "Again, it would be very costly to hire him, and he's said he plans to retire at IU."
For now, Cignetti-to-Pittsburgh is all rumors and speculation based on his fit. But that hasn't stopped fans and media members from wondering how successful the Steelers could be with Cignetti, who has become arguably the best coach in college football right now.
ESPN's Marcus Spears: "[Curt] Cignetti out of Indiana. I think his personality would fit with Pittsburgh." #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/vmFYcNnqS4
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) January 14, 2026
The Steelers should hire Curt Cignetti and win 14 of the next 15 Super Bowls
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 13, 2026
Cignetti to the steelers would be cool pic.twitter.com/CQIsisg3kT
— Official Ohio State DG (@DylanEveryday) January 13, 2026
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Where is Curt Cignetti from?
Curt Cignetti is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He then played college football at West Virginia as a quarterback from 1979-82. Two of Cignetti's previous coaching roles were as a graduate assistant (1983-84), then a quarterbacks/tight ends coach (1993-99) for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Cignetti's Pittsburgh roots have played a role in his connections to the Steelers' vacancy, as some wonder if he'd be interested in coming home for a massive NFL job.
Curt Cignetti Indiana contract
In October, Cignetti agreed to an extension with Indiana that takes him through November 2033 and pays him $11.6 million per season. The deal came just days after Penn State's head coaching role became available, with rumors that Cignetti could be a target to fill that job.
Instead, Cignetti became a top-5 highest-paid head coach in college football at Indiana.
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Curt Cignetti coaching record
- 145–37 (.797)
Cignetti has been the head coach for four different college football programs, all in difference conferences. He has never led a team to a losing season.
From 2011-16, Cignetti was the head coach at IUP in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, accumulatning a 53-17 record and three trips to the Division II playoffs. At Elon from 2017-18, in the Colonial Athletic Association, Cignetti's teams went 14-9 overall.
Cignetti then coached James Madison from 2019-23 between the CAA and the Sun Belt Conference. Under Cignetti, the Dukes went 52-9 with three FCS playoff appearances.
Finally, Cignetti has been at Indiana since 2024; the Hoosiers have lost just two games in those seasons combined so far, including an unbeaten 15-0 mark entering the 2026 national championship. Indiana lost in the CFP first round in 2024.
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