Mike Norvell buyout: How much Florida State owes coach if fired after 2025 season
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Mike Norvell still believes he can turn Florida State football into a championship program.
However, each week of the 2025 college football season has moved the program further away from those aspirations, with the Seminoles falling to 4-5 following a 24-10 loss to rival Clemson on the road on Saturday, Nov. 8.
With each loss, Norvell’s seat in Tallahassee, Florida, has gotten progressively hotter.
Florida State fans have begun to grow impatient with the coach who led them to a 13-1 record and ACC championship in 2023. In the two ensuing seasons, Norvell and the Seminoles have gone a combined 6-15 through Week 11 of the 2025 season, including a 2-12 record in ACC games.
With rival Florida already jettisoning coach Billy Napier following a 22-23 record with the Gators, FSU fans are wondering when the Seminoles might kick Norvell to the curb with a 37-32 record in five-plus seasons, well below the standard set forward by Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher.
Here’s what to know about Norvell’s contract, including how much Florida State would owe him if it decides to fire him after the 2025 college football season:
Mike Norvell buyout at end of 2025 season
Florida State would owe Norvell $58,667,708 if the school were to fire him as of Dec. 1, 2025. That buyout is currently the sixth-highest in college football among active coaches, according to contract information obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Per his contract, FSU would owe Norvell 85% of his base salary and supplemental pay for the remainder of the contract, which is set to run through Dec. 31, 2031. Norvell signed an eight-year contract extension in January 2024 after he was rumored to be a candidate for the Alabama job following Nick Saban’s retirement.
If the Seminoles were to agree to buy out Norvell after the conclusion of the 2025 college season, it would be the second-highest buyout in college football history. James Franklin’s $49.7 million buyout after his firing earlier this season is the second-largest buyout. Fisher is receiving $76.8 million from Texas A&M following his firing in 2023.
Mike Norvell record at Florida State
Norvell began his FSU career with a 3-10 record over the first 13 games, which included a loss to then-FCS opponent Jacksonville State in 2021. However, Norvell and the Seminoles ended the 2021 season with a 5-3 record to set up a 23-4 run between 2023 and 2024, which included a 13-0 start and ACC championship in 2023.
However, since the snub from the four-team College Football Playoff snub, the Seminoles have gone 6-15 the last two seasons: Norvell owns a career 37-32 record with FSU following a loss to Clemson last week.
- 2020: 3-6 (2-6 ACC)
- 2021: 5-7 (4-4 ACC)
- 2022: 10-3 (5-3 ACC)
- 2023: 13-1 (8-0 ACC)
- 2024: 2-10 (1-7 ACC)
- 2025: 4-5 (1-5)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: How much FSU would owe Mike Norvell if it fires coach after season
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