Notre Dame football Head Coach Brian Kelly has signed a six-year contract extension that will see Kelly as Irish coach through 2021. Damien Dennis/The Pit
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite rumors of a possible jump to the NFL, it seems Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly will remain with the Fighting Irish for the foreseeable future.
The university announced Friday afternoon that an agreement had been met with Kelly for a six-year extension to his contract, keeping him as head coach through the 2021 season. Kelly is the winningest active coach in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
Through his career, Kelly owns a 226-80-2 (.737) record with a 55-23 (.705) record in his first six seasons with Notre Dame. In 2015, the Irish finished with a 10-3 mark and a trip to the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl, where the Irish lost to Ohio State, 44-28.
“In the classroom, in the community and on the playing field, Brian has built the foundation of a great Notre Dame football program–one that reflects this University’s values and its unique relationship to the game of football,” said Swarbrick. “I could not be more excited about the future of our football program under Brian’s leadership, and I am especially thankful that our student-athletes will continue to have the benefit of that leadership in the years to come.”
Coach Kelly is the first coach in program history to take the Irish to the postseason in his first six seasons. He has a 16-8 career record in the postseason.
“I want to thank Father Jenkins and the leadership of Notre Dame for their confidence in me,” said Kelly. “I coach football because I believe there are few better avenues for impacting the lives of young men, and I am certain that there is no better place to do that than the University of Notre Dame. During the next six years I look forward to continuing to lead a championship caliber program, but more importantly I look forward to continuing to help the student-athletes I coach to achieve greatness as football players, as students and as men who will make a difference in families, communities and organizations they will someday lead.”
Notre Dame opens the 2016 season September 3 on the road at Texas.
