Kenny Dillingham will remain with Arizona State for the foreseeable future after inking an extension to remain the Sun Devils' head football coach. Now committed to the program, Dillingham wants to see other alumni and fans show their commitment in the same way.
Specifically, Dillingham wants to see more of Arizona State's celebrity alumni reinvest in the football program. The 35-year-old called for golfing icons Phil Mickelson and John Rahn to get more involved with the team.
“Can we get people who aren't involved, who maybe didn't go to Arizona State or did go and are far away?” Dillingham said, via PHNX Sun Devils. “Can we get the Phil Mickelsons involved? Can we get these guys involved in our programs? The John Rahms. Can we get people back in with this program, and get them involved in a level that everyone knows, ‘Man, these guys love Arizona State.'”
The Valley has been activated 🔱
It’s time to take the program to the next level. @PhilMickelson, @JHarden13 and @JonRahmOfficial the ball is in your court. pic.twitter.com/QfAdCIuu3c
— PHNX Sun Devils (@PHNX_SunDevils) December 20, 2025
Mickelson attended Arizona State and represented its golf team as an amateur. He graduated from the school in 1992 with a psychology degree before turning professional.
Rahm is a much more recent Sun Devil alum, graduating from the school in 2016. Rahm is also a much more vocal Arizona State football program and avidly watches every game.
Dillingham inked a new five-year deal that increases his annual salary to $7.5 million per year. He was already under contract through the 2030 season, as a five-year deal is as far as Arizona state laws permit. However, his contract includes incentives that can last up to 10 years, per ESPN.
Kenny Dillingham's new Arizona State contract rejects Michigan
Dillingham's new deal has been in the works for weeks as the school made a concerted effort to keep its head coach. The contract was a direct response to Dillingham becoming a popular name for the vacant Michigan job.
Since Sherrone Moore's firing, Dillingham has been one of two popular names brought up in the discussion, along with Alabama's Kalen DeBoer. However, Dillingham, an Arizona State alum, remained committed to the Sun Devils and said he never received a formal offer from Michigan.
DeBoer remains in play, but the connection was expected to intensify if Alabama lost to Oklahoma in the first round of the 2025-2026 College Football Playoffs. He instead led the Tide to a 34-24 comeback victory over the Sooners to advance to the Rose Bowl.
