FSU dismisses Mike Norvell, accepts $47 million buyout

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida State University dismissed football head coach Mike Norvell on Sunday, hours after the Seminoles lost a home game to Clemson.

The decision comes with a buyout package valued at approximately $47 million. This figure represents 85% of Norvell’s remaining salary under a contract that extended through the 2031 season. His 2026 salary was set at $10.3 million.

Norvell finished with a 41-39 record during his tenure in Tallahassee. The team posted a 10-22 record since the start of the 2024 season. Florida State went 1-5 against Power Four programs this fall. The Seminoles lost to Clemson 36-24 on Saturday, despite entering the game as five-point favorites.

School president Richard McCullough said the university changed the leadership of the football program. “We thank Mike Norvell for his commitment and service to Florida State and wish him and his family the very best,” McCullough said. “We understand the deep passion of Seminole fans and share their high expectations for this program.”

Assistant coach Rick Stockstill will serve as interim head coach while the university searches for a permanent successor. Norvell’s contract includes offset language that could reduce the buyout cost if he secures another coaching position. Adding buyouts for his assistants would push the total financial commitment past $50 million.

Florida State has not defeated Miami, Florida, or Clemson since the 2023 season. The team went 24-30 in Atlantic Coast Conference games from 2020 through the current season. The Seminoles have won just five Power 4 games in the last two and a half seasons.

The university fired athletic director Michael Alford in mid-September. McCullough acknowledged fan frustration in a statement last Tuesday, writing that the school is committed to changing the results. Florida State is 3-5 on the season and 1-4 in the ACC. The Seminoles play at Boston College on Saturday.