In November of last year, not even all the way through his first season with the Golden Gophers, P.J. Fleck was given a contract extension. A year and a month later, it’s lather, rinse and repeat on the contractual front.
Early Friday afternoon, Minnesota announced that the university and its head football coach had agreed to another contract extension. The extended deal was formally approved by the university’s Board of Regents earlier in the day.
With the tweaked contract, Fleck, whose original five-year contract was agreed to in January of 2017, is now signed through the 2023 season and on into 2024. Fleck made $3.35 million in 2018; there was no word on what if any financial adjustments were included in the extension.
“It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead this team and represent the University of Minnesota and our great state,” a statement from Fleck began. “Our family loves living in Minnesota, and I look forward to leading our football program into the future. Through the academic, athletic, social and spiritual development of our student-athletes, and through recruiting, we are building a championship culture that our fans can be proud of.
“Heather and I are so thankful to our staff, [athletic director] Mark Coyle, President Kaler and the Board of Regents for seeing the vision we have for our football program. We are so excited and humbled with the contract extension!”
Taking over a program that won nine games in 2016, Fleck has guided the Gophers to records of 5-7 and 6-6 his first two seasons at the school. This year, Minnesota beat rival Wisconsin for the first time since 2003 and, in the process, became bowl-eligible for the first time under Fleck.
