Florida State faces $50 million buyout as it searches for a new coach

A $50.3 million buyout payment is now owed by the Florida State University athletics department to former football coach Mike Norvell. The university dismissed Norvell on Sunday, ending his tenure after a 3-5 start to the 2026 season and a 41-39 overall record. This dismissal marks the second coaching change at the school since Jimbo Fisher departed for Texas A&M in 2017.

The search for a replacement has reignited interest in Deion Sanders, who currently leads the Colorado Buffaloes. Sanders is 19-26 over three and a half seasons in Boulder. His team recently broke a five-game losing streak with an overtime victory against Kansas State. The Buffaloes, currently 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12, will face Arizona State on Saturday night.

Sanders holds the position of the highest-paid head coach in the Big 12 this season. His contract specifies a salary of $10 million for the current year. He is scheduled to earn $11 million in 2027 and 2028, followed by $12 million in 2029. A new employer would be required to pay Colorado $10 million to release him from the remainder of his current deal.

Jim Pennington, president of the Seminole Club of the Rockies, represents more than 4,000 Florida State alumni living in Colorado. He described Sanders as a good coach and a mentor to young men, but he maintained a neutral stance on the hiring decision. Pennington, a Florida State graduate of the class of 1981 and a season-ticket holder for 34 years, expressed frustration with the repeated financial costs of coaching turnover.

The local alumni community has a complicated history with Sanders. While he was a two-time unanimous All-American at Florida State in 1987 and 1988, recent public comments have strained relations. In an August 2023 news conference, Sanders clarified that he graduated from Talladega College, an HBCU, rather than Florida State. He questioned why he is frequently identified as a Florida State alumnus based on where he played, noting he is an HBCU graduate.

Pennington said those comments were disappointing but did not rule Sanders out completely. He noted that the university is already contending with a large payout to Norvell and previously paid more than $20 million to the previous coach, Willie Taggart. Pennington stated he hopes the university makes the right decision to restore the winning tradition lost after Fisher's departure. He confirmed that the selection committee is not calling him, but he is watching closely.