Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in college football. And he is also one of the most respected.

Gundy has been leading the charge at Oklahoma State since 2005. This is his 17th season with the program, making him the second longest-tenured head coach in college football. He is tied with Utah’s Kyle Whittingham. Only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz has been with a team longer among active head coaches.

During his time at Oklahoma State, Mike Gundy has turned them into one of the more respected teams in college football. He has led them to bowl games in every season of his tenure besides his first year.

Along with his postseason success, Gundy has a record to match. He has a win-loss tally of 154-69 through his 223 appearances. But this almost was not the case.

During a conversation with reporters on Monday, Gundy revealed that he almost made the jump to the NFL after the 2011 season.

According to Oklahoma State beat writer Kelly Hines, Gundy stated that he interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three times for their head coaching position. But he ultimately decided that he preferred the college game.

Following the decision to stay at Oklahoma State, Gundy was given an eight-year extension.

Since then, Gundy has received several extensions. He is now the highest-paid coach in the Big 12 and is under contract with Oklahoma State until 2026.

Through the first five games of the season, Gundy and Oklahoma State have a 5-0 record. They are currently the eighth-ranked team in the country in the latest AP Poll.