MINNEAPOLIS — Forget any speculation about P.J. Fleck leaving the Minnesota Gophers football program for other coaching opportunities anytime soon.
The University of Minnesota athletic department announced Wednesday that Fleck has agreed to a seven-year contract that will keep him with the program through the 2028 season. Financial terms of the contract were not immediately available. The agreement, which lasts two years longer than his remaining contract, is pending Board of Regents approval.
"This is home," Fleck said in the news release. "Our family loves it here and we are excited to continue this journey at the University of Minnesota. From day one, we talked about cultural sustainability and how important it is to building a successful football program and life program. Today is another step in that process, and this new contract is a commitment to our elite staff and the entire state of Minnesota."
Fleck has the Gophers off to a 6-2 record this season and they sit atop the Big Ten's West Division with a 4-1 record. On Tuesday, the Gophers were No. 20 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season. He is 32-21 overall at Minnesota, including 24-10 in his past 34 games.
In 2019 during a season in which the Gophers went 11-2, won the Outback Bowl and finished No. 10 in the final Associated Press Top 25, Fleck signed a seven-year contract extension worth $33.25 million. Under that deal, he was set to make $4.42 million this season, including a pandemic pay reduction that he and other Gophers coaches are taking.
In his fifth season, Fleck is 10th already in school history in games coached (53) and sixth in wins (32). Fleck's .603 winning percentage is third best among the 11 Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games at the helm, trailing only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, '45-50).
"P.J. and Heather continue to do everything the right way," Coyle said in the news release. "He continues to build a program that fans can take great pride in, and his student-athletes compete at a high level academically, athletically and socially. He is a tremendous recruiter and has elevated the stature of our program by an immeasurable amount. I am grateful to President Gabel and the Board of Regents for their continued support, and I look forward to Coach Fleck continuing to lead the Gophers."
