Mike Norvell’s buyout revealed after his Florida State firing

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Mike Norvell’s buyout revealed after his Florida State firing

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Nov 1, 2026 4:01 PM ET

The Florida State Seminoles fired head coach Mike Norvell on Sunday, and it will be a costly move for the school.

Norvell was dismissed one day after his team’s 36-24 loss to Clemson, which dropped the Seminoles to 3-5 on the season. The school will owe Norvell $50.3 million upon dismissing him, though a portion of it would be offset were he to find a new job.

Mike Norvell will be owed $50.3 million, which is subject to offset and mitigation. Per @aadelsonESPN, he just informed the team of his dismissal. https://t.co/UdUVWWkfJJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 1, 2026

That makes Norvell’s buyout fee the third-largest ever paid out to a college football coach. Only Jimbo Fisher’s firing at Texas A&M and Brian Kelly’s dismissal at LSU cost their schools more.

Norvell looked to have Florida State headed firmly in the right direction when his team posted a 13-0 record in 2023. They were left out of the College Football Playoff due to an injury to quarterback Jordan Travis, and it has been all downhill since. The Seminoles have gone 10-23 over their last 33 games under Norvell, and he has been on the hot seat for well over a year.

At least one of Norvell’s fellow ACC coaches will be particularly angry with his dismissal.

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