In 2021, Pat Narduzzi led Pitt to one of the best seasons in school history.

On Monday morning, Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced that Narduzzi will have at least eight more years to do it again.

"Our ACC championship season was the result of a strong culture and foundation that Pat Narduzzi has tirelessly built for Pitt football," Lyke said in a press release announcing a new contract extension that will keep Narduzzi with the Panthers through the 2030 season.

"That foundation has our program positioned for sustained success well into the future. Continuity of leadership, especially outstanding leadership like Coach Narduzzi and his staff have provided, has been integral to our program's rise. We know that we are poised for even more history-making moments in the years to come with Coach Narduzzi on our sideline."

Pitt and Narduzzi truly did make history in 2021. Aside from winning 10 regular-season games and 11 games overall for the first time since 1981, the Panthers won the ACC championship, becoming the first team from the conference’s Coastal Division to claim the league title since Virginia Tech did it in 2010.

Along the way, Pitt beat Tennessee in a non-conference matchup on the road, beat Clemson in a highly-anticipated home game, knocked off North Carolina on a Thursday night, claimed the division championship against Virginia at Heinz Field and then won it all in Charlotte with a dominant performance over Atlantic Division champ Wake Forest.

Entering 2022, Narduzzi and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney are the only current coaches in the conference to win multiple division titles. Pitt previously won the Coastal in 2018 but lost to the Tigers in the ACC Championship Game.

"I love Pitt football and the University of Pittsburgh," Narduzzi said in the press release. "Pitt is truly home for my family and me. We are proud to represent this outstanding university and live in this tremendous city.

"I am so appreciative of our players, coaches and staff. Nothing great can be accomplished without their efforts and commitment. I've always talked about the importance of pushing together in the same direction. We have that at Pitt across the board.

"That's why it was such a special moment down in Charlotte to hand that ACC championship trophy to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and Heather Lyke, our athletic director. Their support and belief in what our football program can achieve has been vital. They are fully committed to the success of our student-athletes in every respect - academically, athletically and personally. It shows why Pitt is such a special place.

"Our goal is to bring more championships back to Pitt. I can't wait to lead this team into the 2022 season, starting with our nationally televised opener against West Virginia.”

After seven seasons at Pitt, Narduzzi has a 53-37 overall record; only Jock Sutherland (111-20-12), Pop Warner (60-12-4) and John Michelosen (56-49-7) have won more games as head coach of the Panthers.

Narduzzi’s win percentage - 58.9% - is third among Pitt coaches since the end of the Warner/Sutherland era in 1938. Jackie Sherrill won 84.2% of his games from 1977-81 and Mike Gottfried won 60% of his games from 1986-89.

This is the second contract extension Narduzzi has received since becoming Pitt’s head coach in 2015. He previously got a seven-year extension after the Panthers closed the 2017 season with an upset win over then-No. 2 and undefeated Miami at Heinz Field.