It's Official: Michigan State hires Pat Fitzgerald as head football coach

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State made the hiring of Pat Fitzgerald as head football coach official on Monday. The move follows Sunday’s firing of Jonathan Smith.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Michigan State Football,” Michigan State athletic director J Batt wrote in a statement. “Pat Fitzgerald is widely recognized as an exceptional football coach, whose teams play with extreme toughness and grit, demonstrate continual improvement and maximize potential. Pat is an excellent fit for Michigan State football, as he understands the Big Ten, has great relationships throughout the midwest and embodies the values on which our program was built. His incredible passion will resonate throughout the program, connecting with all members of our Spartan community, including student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and donors.

“As an institution, we are committed to providing the resources and infrastructure required to realize our shared vision of competing for championships, and with Pat leading the way, Spartan football is positioned for sustained success at the Big Ten and national level. We are excited to welcome Pat, his wife, Stacy, and sons, Jack, Ryan and Brendan, to our Spartan family.”

The hire is set to be approved by the Michigan State Board of Trustees at its next meeting on Dec. 12. Fitzgerald will be introduced at a press conference on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

Fitzgerald, 50, comes to Michigan State after 17 seasons as head coach at his alma mater, Northwestern. The Midlothian, Ill., native amassed a record of 110-101 (65-76 in Big Ten play) during his time in Evanston. He is both the winningest and longest-tenured head coach in Northwestern history.

“Pat Fitzgerald is a proven leader who understands the full mission of intercollegiate athletics—competitive excellence, academic achievement, and the holistic development of student-athletes,” Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz wrote in a statement. “His track record of building disciplined, resilient teams and his commitment to coaching with integrity make him an exceptional fit for Michigan State University. I’m confident that under his leadership, Spartan football will thrive on and off the field.”

Fitzgerald finished with a 5-5 bowl record at Northwestern, including a victory over Auburn in the 2021 Citrus Bowl. The Wildcats made two Big Ten championship games (2018 and 2020) under Fitzgerald, and finished third or higher in their division five times.

Fitzgerald won the Big Ten Coach of the Year award in 2018, after leading Northwestern to a 9-5 (8-1) record, a first-place finish in the Big Ten West Division, a Holiday Bowl win over Utah and a No. 21 ranking in the final AP Poll of the year.

“I am honored to be named the head football coach at Michigan State University,” Fitzgerald wrote in a statement. “I’d like to thank President Guskiewicz and Athletics Director Batt for this opportunity. This is a program with a deep and storied tradition, a passionate fan base, and a commitment to excellence that extends far beyond the football field. What excited me most about this opportunity was the vision for what Michigan State can be for years to come. We will restore tradition, and I’m eager to earn the trust of our players, alumni and fans while competing at the highest level.”

Northwestern finished as high as 10th in the AP Poll under Fitzgerald (2020), and earned five ranked finishes during his Wildcat tenure. Fitzgerald led Northwestern to three 10-win seasons, and two additional nine-win seasons.

But Northwestern went 3-9 (1-8), 3-9, (1-8) and 1-11 (1-8) in 2019, 2021 and 2022 – three of Fitzgerald’s last four seasons in Evanston. Northwestern suspended and eventually fired Fitzgerald in July 2023 amid an investigation of the Wildcat program for allegations of hazing. Fitzgerald filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university, which was settled in August.

Fitzgerald has spent the past two years serving as a volunteer assistant coach for Wilmette (Ill.) Loyola Academy, where his son, Ryan, started at quarterback in 2023. Loyola won the state championship that season, and again in 2024.

Prior to his time as head coach at Northwestern, Fitzgerald spent four seasons as the program’s linebackers coach (2002-05), and one season as its defensive backs coach (2001). Before that, he coached linebackers and safeties at Idaho (2000), and was a graduate assistant at Colorado (1999) and Maryland (1998).

Fitzgerald also enjoyed a highly-decorated playing career at Northwestern. The former two-time All-American linebacker played four seasons in Evanston (1993-96), where he helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back 9+ win seasons and berths in the 1995 Rose Bowl and 1996 Citrus Bowl.

Fitzgerald earned national and Big Ten defensive player of the year awards in 1995 and 1996. He was inducted into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

After spending three seasons away from the college game, Fitzgerald will return to the Big Ten with the goal of replicating the success he had at Northwestern, only on a larger scale at Michigan State.