Jim McElwain has decided to retire, concluding a multi-decade coaching career.

McElwain made the announcement via Central Michigan, where he has been the head coach since the 2019 season. CMU says that McElwain will remain with CMU as Special Assistant to the Athletic Director, helping the department manage the new era of college athletics.

“My wife Karen and I have cherished every moment of our football journey,” McElwain said via a program release. “We want to express our deepest gratitude to the all the players who have welcomed us into their lives, and the incredible coaches and support staff at every stop along the way—it has been a true privilege to work alongside all of them. The lifelong friendships that were created mean the world to us.”

“We are especially thankful for our time at Central Michigan. Mount Pleasant and the CMU community hold a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to continuing to be a part of this program and this great community. Thank you for the unwavering support and the unforgettable memories.”

McElwain, 62, got his start in coaching in 1985 as a graduate assistant at Eastern Washington, his alma mater. He coached college football outside of one season as the then-Oakland Raiders’ quarterbacks coach.

McElwain had two notable stints in the SEC.

He was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff from 2008-11, a period that includes two Crimson Tide national championships (2009, ’11).

UA’s offensive success led McElwain to land his first head coaching job at Colorado State. CSU was 22-16 under McElwain, improving from 3-8 in Year 1 to 10-2 in Year 3. He left Colorado State to take the Florida head coaching job, succeeding Will Muschamp.

McElwain was at Florida from 2015-17. He posted a 22-12 record in a rocky tenure of 2-plus seasons. The Gators won back-to-back division titles under McElwain in 2015 and ’16, but fans were frustrated by lopsided losses to Florida State, Alabama and Michigan.

The 2017 Florida team started the season 3-4 after a blowout loss to Georgia, which would be McElwain’s last game. UF fired McElwain amid a scandal created by claims made during a press conference that his players were dealing with death threats. McElwain failed to produce evidence backing up his claims.

Following his UF dismissal, McElwain joined Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan staff for the 2018 season as wide receivers coach. In 2019, he took the Central Michigan job.

McElwain has a 33-35 record as Central Michigan’s head coach. He led the Chippewas to MAC titles and bowl berths in 2019 and ’21. CMU is 4-7 in 2024.