Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern Agree on 10-Year Contract amid NFL Rumors

After flirting with NFL teams this offseason, Pat Fitzgerald has reached an agreement on a new long-term extension with Northwestern.

Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips announced a 10-year extension with Fitzgerald that keeps him with the school through 2030.

Fitzgerald included a statement in the announcement:

"From the moment I stepped on campus as an undergraduate, I have believed this is the finest University in the country, with the potential to offer an unmatched student-athlete experience. Stacy, Jack, Ryan, Brendan and I have always been grateful to call Northwestern our home, and be part of the Wildcats family. With the unparalleled leadership of President Morty Schapiro, athletic director Jim Phillips, senior vice president for business and finance Craig Johnson, vice president and general counsel Stephanie Graham, athletic department chief financial officer Kevin White, and Chairmen Lanny Martin, Bill Osborn and Pat Ryan, alongside so many others, we have built the foundation to compete for championships in tandem with the best academic and personal development opportunity anywhere in college football. We all have a lot to be proud of, but our best is yet to come."

While Fitzgerald has frequently been mentioned as a potential head coach in the NFL, he's never shown a strong interest in leaving Northwestern.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in December that NFL teams were "expected to make formal requests" to speak with Fitzgerald after the Wildcats' bowl game against Auburn.

Despite seven head-coaching vacancies when this offseason began, Schefter reported Jan. 11 that Fitzgerald turned down every request to speak with teams. Six of the jobs have been filled, leaving the Houston Texans as the only team waiting to make a decision.

Fitzgerald played linebacker at Northwestern from 1993 to 1996. He was a two-time winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award in 1995 and 1996.

The Wildcats hired Fitzgerald as their head football coach in 2006. He is the school's all-time leader in wins (106) and has more bowl appearances (10) in 15 seasons than the combined total of every other coach in program history (six).