Northwestern extends coach David Braun through 2031

Northwestern coach David Braun has agreed to a new contract through the 2031 season, extending his agreement by three years.

Braun is in his fourth season at Northwestern and third as the team's permanent coach. He took over as interim coach in July 2023 after the firing of Pat Fitzgerald, and was named permanent coach that November, before earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.

His original contract ran through 2028, and the extension includes a significant raise, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel. Braun, 41, is 20-19 at Northwestern and last year became the first Wildcats coach to secure a bowl appearance in two of his first three seasons. His 19 wins and 11 Big Ten victories in his first three seasons marked the most by a Northwestern coach during that span.

"David Braun is the right leader today for Northwestern football and for the years to come," athletic director Mark Jackson said in a statement. "He recruits young men of high character who embrace our elite academic environment and who compete in the most competitive conference in the country. David develops our student-athletes at a time when retaining talent has never been harder, and they choose to remain Wildcats when other options appear. He does it with a rare combination of relentless competitiveness and integrity. He is everything that we need in a head coach."

Braun's extension is the latest investment Northwestern has made ahead of the Oct. 2 opening of new Ryan Field, the school's $875 million stadium project. Northwestern hired former NFL and college coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator after the 2025 season, and recently received a three-year, $35 million commitment from the Uihlein family.

Braun had not coached at a Power 4 program until Fitzgerald hired him as defensive coordinator in January 2023.