Pitt rewards offensive coordinator Kade Bell with contract extension

After a season of improved production on offense, Pitt extended the contract of offensive coordinator Kade Bell, senior associate athletic director Pat Bostick said Saturday on the “Panther Insider” Show on 93.7 FM.

Pitt has signed offensive coordinator Kade Bell to a three-season contract extension, a source tells @On3sports.

The 32-year-old OC will also receive a pay raise.https://t.co/MlYrrfU7KR pic.twitter.com/3tybEddvj6

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) March 14, 2025

Sources: Pitt has agreed to new contract for offensive coordinator Kade Bell, which includes both an extension and a raise. Bell, 32, is expected to be paid among the top third of ACC offensive coordinators. pic.twitter.com/u8TbjcCxwU

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 14, 2025

The new contract and pay raise for Bell, 32, was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Bell is expected to be paid among the top one-third of offensive coordinators in the ACC, Thamel reported.

With the extension, Bell could become the longest-serving offensive coordinator under coach Pat Narduzzi. Hired a year ago, Bell is the sixth OC to work for Narduzzi, who is entering his 11th season at Pitt. Only Mark Whipple (2019-21) served more than two seasons.

Bell’s hurry-up offense, a dramatic departure from previous Narduzzi teams at Pitt, averaged 408.7 total yards last season, a significant increase over 2023 (317.9) and better than 2022 (405.8) when the Panthers won nine games.

While finishing 7-6 in 2024, Pitt scored 45 touchdowns on offense, 42nd among 133 FBS schools.

Even after quarterback Eli Holstein was sidelined by injuries and played in only 10 games, Pitt’s passing game averaged 266.9 yards, 24th in the nation, fourth in the ACC.

The extension comes after On3.com’s Pete Nakos reported at the end of last season that Bell was under consideration to become Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator, a job that eventually went to Ben Arbuckle of Washington State.