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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, 71, emphatically shuts down retirement talk after Sweet 16 loss
By Ryan Canfield
Published March 28, 2026
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo will not be retiring anytime soon.
The 71-year-old head coach was asked what he would be doing in five years after his team’s 67-63 loss to UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, and he brushed off the possibility of retirement.
"Trying to win a national championship — plain and simple," Izzo told reporters.
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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the first half against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, New York, on March 19, 2026. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
"We all talk about retirement," Izzo said. "Why? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don't feel good, the minute I don't feel like I'm giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don't have to worry about it. I don't steal money. I won't steal anybody's time."
Izzo said he still has some things that he wants to accomplish before calling it a career. He said that he would be going into the portal the day after the team’s loss.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the second half against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, New York, on March 21, 2026. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo)
"Tomorrow I'm going to the portal," Izzo said. "The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I'm going right to my frickin' locker room, and I'm going to talk to each and every player right there. I'm going to make some decisions about what we're going to do that I feel very comfortable with."
The Iron Mountain, Michigan, native said that he has seven or eight guys returning next season, along with a recruiting class he feels good about.
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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo yells during the second half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA Tournament against UConn in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 27, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)
Izzo began coaching at Michigan State in the 1995-96 season and has been the team’s head coach ever since. He has amassed a 764-310 record, including a 61-27 record in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State went 27-8 this season.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I'm just not lucky enough to be playing on Sunday," Izzo said. "I'll get to play on another Sunday. Hang around."
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/michigan-state-coach-tom-izzo-71-emphatically-shuts-down-retirement-talk-after-sweet-16-loss