Championship-level coaches stay in Champaign. @BretBielema inks a new six-year contract with the Fighting Illini. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/zjP1Xt1xGO
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) December 20, 2022
Bielema left Madison to become coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He spent five years in Fayetteville, however, he was unable to translate his Big Ten success to the Southeastern Conference and was fired in 2017 while walking off the field following a loss at home to the Missouri Tigers.
Bielema spent the next few years as a member of the New England Patriots staff and was an outside linebackers coach for the New York Giants in 2020. In December 2020, he returned to college football to succeed Lovie Smith as head coach at Illinois.
The Illini finished 5-7 in Bielema’s first year at the helm, but experienced a turnaround this year. Illinois finished 8-4 in 2022, tied for second in the Big Ten West, the program’s best season in 15 years. The team also appeared in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time ever this season.
Bielema’s new salary rises to $6 million per year with annual raises and incentives. the contract also includes up to four one-year extensions provided certain performance thresholds are met.
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