Notre Dame Football Head Coach Brian Kelly Signs 6-Year Contract Extension

Friday afternoon, just 5 days before National Signing Day, the University of Notre Dame announced that head football coach Brian Kelly has received a new 6-year contract extension. Kelly's current deal was set to expire following the 2016 football season.

THE BRIAN KELLY ERA CONTINUES

BK's new contract:

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

6 more years of hardcore football.https://t.co/cTO1ps9gjs

— The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) January 29, 2016

Coach,

Thanks for the last 6 seasons.

Here's to 6 more. pic.twitter.com/HdNR3U3xHu

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) January 29, 2016

So what does this mean for Kelly and for Notre Dame?

Without knowing any of the particulars probably not too much. First and foremost it does increase the chances that Brian Kelly stays at Notre Dame for a long time but of course this guarantees nothing. Kelly will be entering his 7th season coaching the Irish this fall--the longest tenured coach under the Dome is Knute Rockne's 13 seasons. In more recent times, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, and Lou Holtz all finished after 11 seasons.

If Kelly sees out this new contract he will coach at Notre Dame for 12 seasons. With 55 wins through 6 seasons Kelly is now 50 short of Rockne's school-record of 105 victories.

The more interesting questions moving forward may be what kind of buyout is involved with the extension and what kind of stipulations Kelly got Notre Dame to agree to for the future. We shall see...