It wasn’t quite an “I’m not leaving” statement in Leonardo DiCaprio fashion, but Matt Rhule won’t be departing Lincoln in the near future. The Nebraska Cornhuskers announced on Oct. 30 that they’ve signed Rhule to a contract extension that keeps him in Lincoln through the 2032 college football season.
“Coach Rhule has shown he is the right leader at the right time for Nebraska Football,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said in a statement. “We look forward to him and his family being in Lincoln for a long time. Our program has seen significant progress under Matt’s leadership, and at this stage in the evolution of the program continuity and stability are critical. I welcome the opportunity to continue to partner with Matt and his staff to build a program that will make everyone associated with Nebraska Football proud. Go Big Red!”
Rhule originally signed an eight-year, $74.5 million contract with the Cornhuskers in November 2022. This extension comes in the wake of reports and speculation that Rhule could potentially leave Nebraska to fill the head-coaching vacancy at Penn State, his alma mater, with James Franklin being fired earlier this month.
Rhule is in his third season at Nebraska, with the Cornhuskers 6-2 overall (3-2 in Big Ten play) this season and a combined 18-15 under him since 2023. Rhule previously posted a 28-23 record at Temple from 2013-16, which was highlighted by back-to-back 10-win seasons, and a 19-20 record at Baylor from 2017-19, which was highlighted by an 11-win campaign in 2019. He also coached the NFL‘s Carolina Panthers for two-plus seasons (2020-22).
“The University of Nebraska, the city of Lincoln and the state of Nebraska are special,” Rhule said. “It is a place our family is proud to call home. We have outstanding leadership from Dr. Gold and Troy Dannen, and I appreciate the support and confidence they have shown in our staff. Our focus remains on building Nebraska Football into a perennial championship contender.”
Rhule, who was the Big 12 Coach of the Year at Baylor in 2019, helped Nebraska reach a bowl game for the first time in eight years last season.
Nebraska hosts No. 23 USC on Saturday.
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