Michigan State Board Unanimously Approves Pat Fitzgerald’s Contract as Head Coach

The vote finalizes a multi-year agreement that raises MSU’s staff salary pool to $12.12 million.

Overview

Fitzgerald’s deal runs through January 2031 with a $4 million base salary and $1 million in supplemental pay that escalates annually.
The assistant and support staff pool increases to $12.12 million, up from the $10.75 million allotted to predecessor Jonathan Smith.
Assistant coaches and assistant strength staff are capped at two-year contracts, while coordinators and the head strength coach can have three-year deals with AD approval.
Early staffing steps include retaining defensive coordinator Joe Rossi and safeties coach James Adams, and hiring former Spartan Max Bullough as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Fitzgerald arrives after a 17-year tenure at Northwestern and a 2023 firing tied to a hazing investigation he said cleared him, as MSU resets following Smith’s Nov. 30 dismissal and vacated wins linked to prior NCAA violations.