"He’s realizing no one else wants him" - CFB fans roast PJ Fleck over his contract extension with Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota Golden Gophers coach PJ Fleck has signed a contract extension to keep him at the helm of the program through 2030.

Fleck arrived in Minnesota as the Gophers’ coach in January 2017. In eight seasons in charge of the program, he has a 56-39 record, including an impeccable 6-0 in bowl games.

The news of Fleck’s extension with the Golden Gophers broke on Wednesday and has since been garnering reactions from fans online, especially on X.

Capt. America wrote:

“Fleck has wanted out so badly. I think he’s realizing no one else wants him.”

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Another fan, @DylanEveryday, also wrote:

“Lmao, why? To go 7-5 or 8-4.”

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D3TRO1TJOK3R commented:

“I’ve always liked PJ Fleck. Happy for him.”

In a similar vein, Dhoniem wrote:

“I’m not a Fleck guy, but his staff is low key great talent evaluators.”

"Owner of Narratives" commented:

“He is the definition of a used car salesman… team loves to go 7-5 every year.”

Robert Murray also wrote:

“P.J. is unlikely to ever compete regularly with the Big 10 big shots but he does bring a sense of pride and competitiveness to the Twin Cities. Keep rowin’ P.J.!”

PJ Fleck’s impressive record at Minnesota

An official release by Minnesota described PJ Fleck as one of the program’s best coaches. The former Western Michigan coach led the Gophers to an 11-win season in 2019, sharing the then Big Ten West Division.

He has consistently led the program to winning seasons, with the exception of the shortened 2020 season, his debut season in 2017, and 2023. He and the team are fresh off an 8-5 campaign last season, which also saw them win the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

The official release by the program further highlights PJ Fleck’s achievements as the head coach. It reads:

“The Gophers are 58-39 overall with Fleck at the helm, which includes a 6-0 mark in bowl games. He is fifth in program history for overall wins (58) and games coached (97) and is fourth in program history in Big Ten wins (34).

“Fleck’s .597 win percentage is the third best among Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games under their helm, behind only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, ‘45-50).”

Notably, PJ Fleck’s team hasn’t just been outstanding on the field; they have been impressive in the classroom as well. The team’s academic record under Fleck’s leadership includes 10 Academic All-Americans and 438 Academic All-Big Ten performers.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.