Northern Illinois Head Coach Departs for NFL Opportunity

Thomas Hammock leaves the Huskies after leading the program to a historic upset over Notre Dame in 2024.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Thomas Hammock, the head coach of the Northern Illinois Huskies football team since 2019, is leaving his post to join the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as their new running backs coach and senior offensive assistant. Despite a 35-47 overall record, Hammock led the Huskies to two bowl victories and a 9-5 season in 2021, and is best remembered for the team's shocking upset over Notre Dame, then ranked #5 in the country, in 2024.

Why it matters

Hammock's departure is a significant loss for the Northern Illinois football program, as he was a beloved figure in the DeKalb community and led the Huskies to their biggest win in school history. His move to the NFL also highlights the ongoing challenges that non-powerhouse college teams face in retaining top coaching talent, especially with the rise of NIL deals that can lure coaches away.

The details

Hammock, a Northern Illinois alum who played running back for the Huskies from 1999-2002, has been the head coach since 2019. While his overall record was just 35-47, he led the team to two bowl victories and a 9-5 season in 2021. Hammock's biggest moment came in 2024, when he guided the Huskies to a shocking 16-14 upset over Notre Dame, then ranked #5 in the country, marking the first time a MAC team had defeated a top-5 opponent. Hammock is now leaving Northern Illinois to join the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as their new running backs coach and senior offensive assistant.

  • Hammock has been the Northern Illinois head coach since 2019.
  • In 2024, Hammock led the Huskies to a 16-14 upset over Notre Dame, then ranked #5 in the country.
  • Hammock is leaving Northern Illinois to join the Seattle Seahawks in 2026.

The players

Thomas Hammock

The former Northern Illinois running back has been the head coach of the Huskies football team since 2019, leading them to two bowl victories and a 9-5 season in 2021.

Seattle Seahawks

The Super Bowl champion NFL team that has hired Hammock as their new running backs coach and senior offensive assistant.

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What they’re saying

“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. 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”

— Thomas Hammock (Fox 32 Chicago)

What’s next

The Huskies will begin play in the Mountain West Conference in the 2026 season, but Hammock will not be around to see it as he departs for the NFL.

The takeaway

Hammock's departure is a significant loss for the Northern Illinois football program, as he was a beloved figure in the DeKalb community and led the team to its biggest win in school history. However, his move to the NFL also highlights the ongoing challenges that non-powerhouse college teams face in retaining top coaching talent, especially with the rise of NIL deals that can lure coaches away.