Curt Cignetti, head coach at Indiana University, was named national college football Coach of the Year at the American Heart Association's Paul 'Bear' Bryant Awards, presented by Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System. The 40th annual awards program benefits the American Heart Association, which is devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all.
This recognition matters because it honors both coaching excellence and supports vital cardiovascular disease research through the American Heart Association's partnership with the Bryant family. The award upholds the legacy of legendary coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant, who died from a heart attack in 1983, with the Bryant family teaming up with the American Heart Association in 1986 to create the awards program. Each year since then, the awards have celebrated Bryant's legacy while raising critical funds for research to eradicate cardiovascular disease.
In his second season at Indiana, Cignetti capped one of the most dramatic program turnarounds in the history of college football, culminating with the program's first national title. Indiana finished the 2025 season with a perfect 16-0 record, led by the play of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was named Most Outstanding Player in the Hoosiers' national championship victory over Miami.
The Paul 'Bear' Bryant Coach of the Year Award annually recognizes the country's top college football coach for their positive contributions both on and off the field, as well as efforts to make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life. This award is the only college football coaching honor given after the National Champion has been determined, voted on by the National Sports Media Association, current NCAA college football coaches, former Coach of the Year Award winners, the Paul 'Bear' Bryant Awards' Executive Leadership Team and the Bryant family.
Fans were able to participate in the awards with the sixth annual Coach of the Year Fan Vote, sponsored by Accenture. Starting in August 2025, fans cast votes for their favorite coach online at bryantawards.org/fan-vote. Thanks to the unwavering support of his supporters, Bob Chesney of James Madison University repeated as the winner of the Fan Vote.
As previously announced, Phillip Fulmer, the legendary former head coach of the University of Tennessee, will receive the 2026 Paul 'Bear' Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award, and the late coach Mike Leach will be honored posthumously with the 2026 Paul 'Bear' Bryant Heart of a Champion Award presented by St. Luke's Health, one of the largest health systems in Greater Houston.
The Paul 'Bear' Bryant Coach of the Year Award ceremony presented by Memorial Hermann Health System will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network at 12:30 a.m. CST and 9:30 a.m. CST on January 22nd. For a recap of the event and behind-the-scenes details, visit facebook.com/bryantawards or x.com/bryantawards. To learn more about the awards' history and for 2027 event information, visit bryantawards.org.
