PJ Fleck has a shown a proclivity to take risks when Minnesota wins game. 

The Gophers boss took hold of social media last week for an inspired — if somewhat unhygienic — interaction with one of his star players after Minnesota downed Washington. One week later, he showed off his acrobatics — and his drinking form — to celebrate the Gophers’ win over hated rival Michigan.

With that, here’s what you need to know about what Fleck did when he finally got his hands on the Little Brown Jug.

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Watch PJ Fleck chug from Little Brown Jug, hit insane stage dive

Fleck finished Saturday’s upset in style, draping his gullet in water when he joined his team in the locker room. The liquid was contained in the Little Brown Jug, an heirloom that hasn’t tended to land in Gophers hands much in recent years.

WHAT A DAY 〽️#SkiUMah #Gophers #RTB pic.twitter.com/BJAuZdAbyf

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) October 3, 2026

The veteran coach then completed an epic, looking less like a tactician than a musical artist when surrounded by his players. After considering the significance of Minnesota’s win, that was an understandable response.

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What is the Little Brown Jug?

The Little Brown Jug refers to the apparatus that is contested each time the Wolverines take on the Gophers.

The earthenware jug was introduced when Michigan bested Minnesota in the early 1900s. The story goes that former Wolverines boss Fielding H. Yost wielded the goblet when Michigan took on Minnesota in 1903. Yost, concerned that the Gophers would contaminate the water supply to give themselves an advantage, told a student manager to purchase a jug.

The Wolverines tied Minnesota in the proceeding game, with stormy weather and a field-storming by the Gophers’ faithful meaning the game couldn’t be continued. Yost left the jug in the locker room, at which point Minnesota personnel painted it brown (as opposed to the traditional blue shade that covered half of the jug.)

The Gophers wrote the game’s final score on the apparatus. More than 120 years later, that tradition still continues — the victor adds their name to the surface of the flask.

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What did PJ Fleck do last week?

Saturday wasn’t Fleck’s first dalliance with pomp and circumstance. In fact, one week earlier, the Minnesota garnered headlines for another show of emotion after the Gophers pulled off a dramatic win.

After Minnesota’s win over Washington was confirmed, Fleck made a beeline for defensive captain Maverick Baranowski, who had cut open his chin earlier in the contest. After embracing Baranowski with a hug, Fleck did the only sensible thing one could do; wiped Baranowski’s blood onto his face.

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck is FIRED UP after beating Washington 😭 pic.twitter.com/qBOgZHk39d

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 27, 2026

That’s admittedly not the most sanitary act. But if Fleck and Barankowski like it, who are we to judge?

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PJ Fleck record

While the Gophers are hardly Big Ten heavyweights, they have punched above their class in the years since Fleck took charge. Here’s a look at Fleck’s record going back to his days at Western Michigan, as well as his win marks with Minnesota.

PJ Fleck contract details

Fleck makes $6 million per season. He inked a one-year extension ahead of the 2025 campaign, taking his contract through the 2030 season.

Also included in his deal is an annual sweetener that sees him earn an average of $1.66 million more per season, should he see out the remainder of his deal. He’s set to $1.3 million at the start of the 2027 season, $100,000 more than he netted to kick off this season.

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