NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock resigns, leaves Huskies for the NFL
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Northern Illinois will have a new head football coach when it plays its first season in the Mountain West Conference.
Thomas Hammock is leaving DeKalb for the NFL, the school announced on Wednesday morning.
What we know:
Hammock is leaving the Huskies for the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks, according to ESPN. He's expected to become the highest-paid running backs coach in the league.
Hammock also reportedly interviewed for Seattle's offensive coordinator opening, too.
"Representing the Cardinal and Black of Northern Illinois University as a player, alumnus, assistant coach, and head coach has been the honor of my life," Hammock said in a written statement. "To Sean Frazier, my mentor, thank you for the incredible opportunity to lead, guide, and mentor the young men in this program over the past seven years. I hope I have left a lasting impact on our players the way Coach Novak left one on me.
NIU announced that NIU director of athletics Sean Frazier promoted defensive coordinator Rob Harley to interim head coach.
Hammock will finish his NIU tenure with a 35-47 overall record, with his most iconic moment being a win over No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend in the 2024 season.
Northern Illinois went 3-9 in its final season in the Mid-American Conference and Hammock's final season at NIU.
The backstory:
This is a bit of a shock because Hammock is a former Northern Illinois running back and thoroughly displayed love for the NIU program.
Hammock was hired after Rod Carey departed for Temple, and will leave the program with two bowl wins and a MAC title in 2021.
He went viral before the 2025 football season for his rants about the modern state of college football, specifically the transfer portal and how Name, Image and Likeness deals dictates where players go,
"Everyone’s talking about everything else besides the most important thing of going to college. Because if you’re going to college to get a couple of dollars, you might as well go get a job," Hammock said in August 2025. "This is too hard to go get a couple of dollars. Learn the lessons that you need to learn to be successful in life for the next 40 or 50 years of your life. I would do it again for free because of the things I learned. That’s why I’m standing here today, because of what I learned in college. Not because of how much someone gave me."
Hammock's success was a reason why NIU moved from the MAC to the Mountain West in football only.
On the day NIU officially joined the Mountain West, Hammock said it was one of the best day's in the history of the program.
"As good as Sept. 7 was," Hammock said on Jan. 7 2025, referencing NIU's 16-14 win over No. 5 Notre Dame in 2024, "today is even better."
Hammock won't get to lead the future of his alma mater's football program.
What they're saying:
"Under Coach Hammock's leadership, the Huskie football program has achieved historic milestones on the field as well as academically over the last seven seasons," NIU director of athletics Sean Frazier said in a statement. "His passion for NIU and commitment to developing young men – on and off the playing field – will be his legacy; I know he has left a lasting impact on the players he coached and on his alma mater. His genuine love for NIU made his decision to leave at this time very tough for him. A Hall of Famer, he will always be a Huskie and I hope all of Huskie Nation will join me in thanking Thomas for all he has given to NIU as we wish him all the best in the future."
"These are exciting times for the Huskies as they enter the Mountain West Conference," Hammock said in a written statement. "I look forward to watching this team stay united, compete at a high level, and continue building under new leadership. I will always be proud to call NIU my alma mater, and I will always be cheering for the Huskies."