Bret Bielema, Illinois agree on new six-year contract through 2028, raise to $6 million annually

In his second year in Champaign, Bret Bielema turned Illinois into a contender in the Big Ten West. Now, he’s being rewarded for his efforts.

Illinois and Bielema have agreed to a new six-year contract, the university announced Tuesday. In addition, his annual salary is increasing from $4.3 million to $6 million with bonuses, according to the announcement.

Bielema helped the Fighting Illini to an 8-4 record this season — a nice turnaround after a 5-7 recored in his first season with the program in 2021 — and just missed out on an appearance in the Big Ten Championship.

“In his first two years as head coach of the Fighting Illini, Bret Bielema has led a resurgence of Illinois Football that had our team competing for a place in the Big Ten Championship Game and playing in a New Year’s Day bowl game,” Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said in a statement. “He has assembled an exceptional staff, developed the existing players on our roster, and recruited talented student-athletes to join our program. He has worked tirelessly, with an eye for detail and tremendous competitive urgency, to set a new standard of excellence for Fighting Illini Football.

“Perhaps most importantly, he has brought an immediate identity to our football program and represented the University of Illinois with class, humility, and confidence. I could not be more excited to continue partnering with Bret to elevate Illinois Football into the championship-caliber program that we envision. I want to thank Bret for his leadership, trust, and partnership, as well as Jen, their girls, and their family for their engagement in our community and their contributions to Illinois Athletics. The future is bright!”

Bielema joined Illinois prior to the 2021 season after a stint with the New England Patriots and New York Giants as an assistant. Before that, though, he put together an impressive stretch in the Big Ten as the head coach at Wisconsin from 2006-12. He helped the Badgers to a 68-24 mark and three straight Rose Bowl appearances before leaving for Arkansas, where he totaled a 29-34 record before his firing in 2017.

An Illinois native, Bielema returned home to take over the Fighting Illini program after it parted ways with Lovie Smith. Now, he has Illinois playing in a bowl game Jan. 2.

“First, thank you to Josh Whitman, our administration, Chancellor Jones, and the Board of Trustees for their support and commitment to our football program,” Bielema said in a statement. “Thanks to our outstanding coaches, staff, and student-athletes, I am proud of the progress we have made in two years and I could not be more excited about where our program is going.”

Illinois is getting ready to take on Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl Jan. 2.