The question that’s been floating around for over a year is only getting louder. It resurfaced even in September as Tom Izzo geared up for the first official practice of the 2025–26 season. Now, the season is in full throttle, we are in December, yet here it is again. Is this Izzo’s final push for the championship he’s been chasing since 2000?

Did Tom Izzo Plan to Retire After 2025-26?

Despite persistent chatter, there has been no official announcement or confirmation from Izzo or Michigan State signaling that the veteran coach plans to retire at the end of the 2025–26 season.

In fact, he continues to lead a program performing at an elite level, guiding them to back-to-back wins. Reports labeling him as “on the hot seat” or “potentially retiring” stem largely from speculation tied to his age and tenure.

Under Izzo, the Spartans have built one of the most remarkable streaks in college basketball history. The Spartans have made 27 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the longest active streak in the Big Ten by a staggering margin. For context: Purdue, the next closest Big Ten team, sits at 10 straight.

A 17-year gap doesn’t just tell a story; it defines the type of excellence Tom Izzo is all about.

Tom Izzo turns 71 in two months, and as one of the longest-tenured coaches in the country, it’s natural for fans to wonder how much longer he plans to stay on the sidelines. Add today’s unpredictable landscape of NIL battles, constant transfers, and nonstop roster reshuffling, and it’s easy to assume a veteran coach might eventually decide he’s had enough.

With Tony Bennett stepping down at Virginia, Bruce Pearl surrendering his whistle at Auburn, and Jim Larrañaga, Leonard Hamilton, Roy Williams, Coach K, Jim Boeheim, and Jay Wright also announcing their retirements, the rumors just got stronger. Bill Self’s recent health issues, which prompted questions about his future at Kansas, added to the chatter as well.

But the short answer is: No. Tom Izzo has no plans to retire. The truth about his plans is far more straightforward.

What Tom Izzo Has Actually Said About His Retirement?

When asked about his retirement earlier this season, Tom Izzo joked with reporters and said, “I figured since everybody’s resigning, you’d be the first to know that I’m resigning today.” But on a more serious note, addressing the rumors, he added, “You’re still stuck with me. Sorry.”

Even when he was pressed about retiring on a high note, after a potential national title, he laughed off the idea and said, “If I win the last one, it would be a cold day in hell before I quit, so don’t worry about that.”

And let’s be honest, the time it has taken MSU to build an empire, losing a coach like Izzo would be a huge loss, and his record backs it up:

• 737 career wins and just 302 losses (2:1 win-loss ratio).
• One of only a handful of active coaches with a national championship (2000).
• A program still recruiting, developing, and competing like a perennial powerhouse.

The younger generation might not fully grasp what the “Izzo era” has meant for college basketball. But for those who’ve lived through it, his yearly preseason press conferences, how he guided the Spartans men from the bench, his post-game interviews still sound like music. And from everything we know, that soundtrack isn’t ending anytime soon.

Last year’s roster and their efforts especially “reinvigorated” Izzo.

“I do know this, for sure — however many years I had left before this, you can add one or two more on top that,” Izzo said last year. “All because of this team, these guys and this season.”

But as the 2025-26 season moves forward, one question remains. Can Tom Izzo lead the Michigan State Spartans to another championship title? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!