Gophers, Fleck Agree To New 7-Year Contract

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- P.J. Fleck isn't ready to pull his oar out of the water just yet.

The University of Minnesota announced Wednesday it has agreed to a new, seven-year contract that would keep Fleck captaining the Gophers through 2028.

At a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Fleck said the Gophers are going to have "some really great years, some really special years" under his watch.

Fleck is in his fifth season coaching the Gophers. The team is 6-2 and atop the Big Ten West, earning them the 20th spot on the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

"This is home," Fleck said in a statement. "It's a tremendous honor to lead this program, and we will continue to work to build a culture that connects the entire state."

MORE: Read Fleck's Contract & Its Amendment

Fleck boasts a 32-21 record overall as head coach of Minnesota. Under his guidance, eight Gophers have been drafted into the NFL, including wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Bateman was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft by the Baltimore Ravens, the first Gopher to go that high since Laurence Maroney in 2006.

After signing the contract, Fleck spoke as much about the state of Minnesota as he did about the university and the football team he leads.

"I absolutely love the state of Minnesota, my wife loves living here, my kids love being here," he said. "We get to make a life here, not just make a living, and I think that's very difficult to find in our profession."

Since Fleck joined the Gophers, there have been whisperings about him leaving for a program with more prestige. Most recently, he was connected to the University of Southern California after head coach Clay Helton was ousted midseason.

Fleck signed a five-year contract with the U of M in 2017 after coaching Western Michigan for four seasons.

In:
• University of Minnesota