SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Just as the 2020 season gets underway, Notre Dame and head coach Brian Kelly announced a three-year extension to his contract, carrying it through 2024. The deal had been agreed to back in December, and the plan was to announce it following the Blue-Gold Game in April, as has typically been the case with Kelly extensions.
Instead, when the University pivoted to remote learning in March and suspended all athletics activities, the contract extension announcement was shelved until football returned.
“We are pleased to be able to have Brian lead our football program for the foreseeable future,” Notre Dame director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said. “... We decided to wait to make this announcement until we were able to return our attention to football being back in action and I am happy to share this great news today.”
NEWS |@CoachBrianKelly’s contract extended through 2024 season.
— Notre Dame Football PR Team (@NDFootballPR) September 12, 2020
NOTE: Deal was agreed upon in December 2019.
RELEASE: https://t.co/dYqquiVifj pic.twitter.com/JsXSDvHtq3
If Kelly completes the contract, he will coach the Irish for a total of 15 seasons, passing Knute Rockne’s 13 years as the longest in Notre Dame history. Once Kelly completes this tumultuous 2020 season, he will tie Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz for the second-longest tenures at 11 years.
