Thomas Hammock, the architect behind Northern Illinois University's football resurgence, is leaving his post as head coach to join the Seattle Seahawks' staff as an assistant, sources confirmed to CBS Sports. This transition represents the latest instance of an FBS head coach abandoning the turbulent waters of college football for the relative stability of the NFL, a trend that has accelerated as the collegiate landscape undergoes unprecedented transformation.
The timing of Hammock's departure introduces significant complications for the Huskies, who find themselves in a critical phase of program development. Northern Illinois is preparing to embark on its first season as a member of the Mountain West Conference, a move that necessitates fundamental changes in operations, strategy, and recruiting. The program must now confront these challenges without the leader who guided them through six seasons of rebuilding and success.
Hammock's tenure at Northern Illinois, which began in 2019, coincided with one of the program's most successful stretches in recent memory. While the 2025 season ended with a disappointing 3-9 record, his overall impact cannot be overstated. The Huskies posted winning records in three of the last five campaigns, transforming from conference afterthought into consistent bowl participants. Under his direction, Northern Illinois earned postseason invitations in 2021, 2023, and 2024, frequently outperforming modest preseason expectations while competing with a budget that ranked among the smallest in the FBS.
The crowning achievement of Hammock's time in DeKalb came in 2021 when he led the Huskies to the MAC championship, a victory that resonated throughout the program's history and reestablished Northern Illinois as a force within the conference. Yet this accomplishment would be eclipsed by an even more remarkable feat three years later.
In September 2024, Northern Illinois traveled to South Bend and accomplished what many considered impossible: defeating the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The victory immediately entered the annals of college football lore as one of the most shocking results of the season. When journalists and analysts rushed to label the win a monumental upset, Hammock offered a perspective that revealed his coaching philosophy and belief in his players.
"If you go back and watch the game and put blank jerseys on both teams, you'd say it was a tremendous physical affair of teams going back and forth, and you can't tell which one has $20 million and which one don't," Hammock explained to CBS Sports' Chris Hummer. His comment highlighted the discrepancy in resources between programs while emphasizing that execution, not finances, determined the outcome. The loss remained Notre Dame's only defeat before their journey to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, magnifying the significance of Hammock's achievement.
Hammock's return to professional coaching represents a familiar path. Before taking the Northern Illinois position, he spent five seasons as the Baltimore Ravens' running backs coach, where he developed Pro Bowl talent and contributed to one of the league's most consistent rushing attacks. His expertise in identifying and cultivating running back talent made him a respected figure among NFL peers.
The coach's journey began in 2003 as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin, his alma mater, where he quickly demonstrated an aptitude for teaching and player development. After two seasons, he returned to Wisconsin as the running backs coach from 2005-06, beginning a pattern of developing productive ground games. Hammock then expanded his experience at Minnesota from 2007-10, holding multiple positions that broadened his understanding of program management. He returned to Wisconsin from 2011-13 as assistant head coach and running backs coach, solidifying his reputation as one of college football's premier developers of running back talent.
Throughout his Northern Illinois tenure, Hammock distinguished himself as one of the sport's most thoughtful and outspoken critics regarding the direction of college football. In August 2025, following the NCAA's decision to further liberalize transfer rules and as NIL agreements and revenue-sharing models continued reshaping the sport's economics, Hammock voiced concerns about the impact on programs operating outside the Power Five structure.
"Everyone's talking about everything else besides the most important thing of going to college," Hammock stated during a press conference. "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."
His comments reflected a belief that the core mission of college athletics—education and personal development—was being subordinated to financial considerations, particularly for athletes at schools unable to compete with the massive NIL budgets of major programs.
Hammock's departure creates immediate and complex challenges for Northern Illinois. The program must now launch a coaching search while simultaneously preparing for its Mountain West debut, a task that complicates recruiting efforts and player retention. The new conference presents elevated competition, with programs like Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State offering stiffer challenges than many MAC opponents. Travel demands will increase significantly, requiring greater resources and logistical planning.
The Huskies' recruiting infrastructure, built around Hammock's relationships and reputation, must now be rebuilt by a new staff. In the current environment, where transfer portal activity begins immediately after the regular season, any coaching instability can trigger roster exodus. Northern Illinois must move swiftly to identify a successor capable of maintaining continuity while bringing fresh energy to the program.
For the Seattle Seahawks, Hammock's hiring brings a coach with proven ability to develop talent within constraints. His experience maximizing player potential despite limited resources translates directly to the NFL's salary cap environment. The Seahawks, who have prioritized establishing a dominant running game, will benefit from Hammock's expertise in creating productive ground attacks and his history of developing running backs who exceed expectations.
The broader implications of Hammock's move reflect a growing exodus from college coaching ranks. As conference realignment, NIL collectives, and transfer portal freedom create constant uncertainty, the NFL's structured environment becomes increasingly attractive. Professional teams offer stability, clearer rules, and freedom from the recruiting grind and booster politics that now dominate college football.
Northern Illinois now faces a pivotal moment. The program's recent successes under Hammock—including the 2021 conference title, multiple bowl victories, and the Notre Dame upset—provide a foundation of credibility and momentum. However, sustaining that progress requires finding a coach who can navigate the Mountain West landscape while adapting to the new realities of college football economics.
Hammock's legacy at Northern Illinois extends beyond wins and losses. He restored pride to a program that had struggled for consistency, developed players who succeeded on and off the field, and maintained high academic standards while competing at a high level. His willingness to speak truthfully about the challenges facing mid-major programs provided a voice for coaches operating outside the sport's financial elite.
As he returns to the NFL, Hammock brings with him six years of head coaching experience that will enhance his value as an assistant. His understanding of program management, player development, and strategic planning from a head coach's perspective offers the Seahawks insights beyond typical position coaching.
The circular nature of Hammock's career—from college assistant to NFL coach, to head coach at Northern Illinois, and back to the NFL—illustrates the fluid boundaries between professional and collegiate football. His journey suggests that success at any level requires adaptability, strong principles, and the ability to develop talent regardless of circumstances.
For Northern Illinois, the task ahead involves honoring Hammock's contributions while building a new vision for the future. The Mountain West transition offers opportunities for increased visibility and different recruiting territories, but only with the right leadership. The program's next chapter will test whether the foundation Hammock built can support sustained success or if his departure marks the end of a golden era.
In the end, Thomas Hammock's tenure at Northern Illinois will be remembered as a period when a coach with NFL experience returned to college football and proved that program-building fundamentals still matter. His ability to compete with limited resources, his development of overlooked talent, and his signature victory over Notre Dame demonstrated that success in college football isn't solely determined by financial might. As he re-enters the professional ranks, both Northern Illinois and the Seahawks will feel the impact of his six-year journey in DeKalb.