Mike Norvell has promised to quickly rebuild Florida State’s fallen football program. And he’s putting his money where his mouth is. Norvell’s commitment now includes a restructured contract that includes a one-time $4.5 million contribution that will launch the athletic department’s Vision of Excellence campaign, the Tallahassee Democrat has learned. The campaign, in partnership with […]
Mike Norvell has promised to quickly rebuild Florida State’s fallen football program. And he’s putting his money where his mouth is.
Norvell’s commitment now includes a restructured contract that includes a one-time $4.5 million contribution that will launch the athletic department’s Vision of Excellence campaign, the Tallahassee Democrat has learned.
The campaign, in partnership with Seminole Boosters, Inc., looks “to immediately raise” FSU athletics to new heights and provide “the best resources” to benefit student-athletes across all sports. Though not official yet, each Division I school will be allowed to share at least $20.5 million in revenue with their athletes under a House settlement agreement beginning July 1.
FSU officially announced the campaign Monday morning.“I presented this to our administration in an effort to boost the support of our student-athletes while recognizing that the results and expectations need to be upheld to the highest level,” Norvell said in a statement released by the schoo..“I wanted to be proactive in my financial assistance through this time of transition as we all push forward to get back to the standard of Florida State football. Great days are ahead, and I’m grateful to coach these players and lead this staff. We have been hard at work to uphold the tradition here at Florida State, and I believe this step will help accelerate the process to where I know we are going.”Mike Norvell, FSU football looks to rebound from historic freefall
Norvell, 43, is entering his sixth season at FSU and remains under contract through 2031.
The specific details regarding Norvell’s restructured contract were not immediately available. However, he can earn back his contribution through performance incentives.
“We are grateful for Coach Norvell’s commitment to our student-athletes,” Florida State Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said in a statement.
“He is a high-character person who took an honest assessment of what the program needed from its leader to move forward. I’m excited about the future of Florida State football. FSU will continue to be a leader in the new structure of collegiate athletics, and that includes how we provide for our student-athletes. It will take additional support. I’m not going to be shy about encouraging others to follow Coach Norvell’s actions and contribute however they can.”
Norvell signed a lucrative extension last January after FSU’s undefeated regular season in 2023 that is worth $10 million per season. According to USA TODAY’s coaches’ salary database, Norvell is the sixth-highest paid coach in college football.
FSU entered the 2024 season ranked 10th nationally in preseason polls. However, nothing went right and Norvell is determined to reverse course from a historic freefall and 2-10 record.
Norvell has significantly revamped his coaching staff that includes new offensive and defensive coordinators. He’s 33-27 overall at FSU, including 20-20 in the ACC.
The Seminoles open their 2025 season against Alabama at renovated Doak Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30.
This story will be updated.
Reach Tallahassee Democrat Sports Editor Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com
