The ex-Wildcat is making his return to coaching in 2026.
After three seasons away from the sidelines, Pat Fitzgerald's return to college football appears imminent.
The longtime Northwestern head coach is reportedly headed to East Lansing to lead Michigan State's football program. The Detroit Free Press' Chris Solari and Graham Couch revealed on Sunday afternoon that MSU was planning to hire Fitzgerald, and according to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the school inked a five-year deal with the coach on Monday.
Solari's and Couch's article came just hours after the Spartans fired head coach Jonathan Smith, who went 9-15 over his two seasons at the helm.
Fitzgerald, who turns 51 on Tuesday, was the face of Northwestern's football program for over two decades. The former All-American linebacker coached at his alma mater from 2006 until 2023, when a hazing scandal led to his abrupt exit from the university.
Northwestern reached a settlement with Fitzgerald this fall regarding a multi-million-dollar wrongful termination lawsuit, allowing him to get back into coaching during the next hiring cycle. Fitzgerald had spent his time between 2023 and now as a volunteer assistant at Loyola Academy, where his son played high school football.
As a player, Fitzgerald garnered various awards over his junior and senior seasons. While leading the Wildcats to appearances in the 1995 Rose Bowl and 1996 Citrus Bowl, Fitzgerald was named a two-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Bronco Nagurski Trophy winner, two-time Chuck Bednarik Award winner and the 1996 Jack Lambert Trophy winner.
Fitzgerald returned to Northwestern as a linebackers coach in 2001 and was promoted to be the team's head coach in 2006, following Randy Walker's sudden death.
The Wildcats experienced unprecedented success under Fitzgerald, posting at least six wins in 11 of the next 15 seasons. Northwestern went 5-5 in bowl games, winning its last four, and reached the Big Ten Championship in both 2018 and 2020. At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Northwestern was ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press' postseason Top 25, the program's highest such ranking since the 1995 Rose Bowl team that Fitzgerald played on.
With an all-time record of 110-101, Fitzgerald has the most wins of any coach in Northwestern history. He was named the Hayes-Schembechler Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2018 and the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year in 2020.
However, the final few years of Fitzgerald's tenure in Evanston did not go as planned. Northwestern fielded a losing record in three of his last four seasons (3-9 in 2019, 7-2 in 2020, 3-9 in 2021, 1-11 in 2022) before being ousted in the summer of 2023 due to the program's hazing scandal.
The Wildcats will face off against Fitzgerald's Spartans in East Lansing next season, and Michigan State will visit Northwestern's new Ryan Field stadium in 2027 as Fitzgerald makes his return to his alma mater.
Read More Northwestern Wildcats Coverage
MORE: What is a Reasonable Evaluation of Preston Stone's Regular Season?
MORE: Missed Opportunities Doom Northwestern in 20-13 Loss to Illinois
MORE: Three Takeaways From Turnover-Happy, Aggravating Northwestern Loss at Illinois
MORE: Despite Offensive Explosion From Sullivan, Northwestern Falls 85-70 vs. Missouri