FSU coach Mike Norvell donating $4.5 million of salary to athletics

Florida State’s Mike Norvell won’t be the first college football head coach to give back financially to his university’s athletics department, but the size of his gift has him as the early leader in the clubhouse.

Norvell will donate $4.5 million of his salary this year to FSU’s athletics department as part of the Seminoles’ efforts to grapple with rising expenses associated with the looming House settlement, the university announced Monday morning.

Norvell’s gift will kick start Florida State’s new, “The Vision of Excellence” fundraising campaign.

Athletics director Michael Alford has said that FSU will need to come up with an additional $25 million each year to offset the costs of the House revenue-sharing agreement, which could go into effect as early as the fall of 2025.

Norvell is entering the second year of an eight-year contract extension that pays him an average of $10 million per season.

He is the third college football coach to have a portion of his salary redirected in this manner, joining Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy and LSU’s Brian Kelly.

Kelly has pledged to donate $1 million as a match to NIL donations, while Gundy has reportedly agreed to have his contract restructured to help with those efforts.

Here is the release from Florida State:

Florida State and head football coach Mike Norvell have agreed to a restructured contract that includes a $4.5 million contribution to help launch the Vision of Excellence initiative, it was announced Monday.

The Vision of Excellence is a fundraising campaign that seeks to immediately raise Florida State athletics to new heights of comprehensive excellence by setting ambitious goals for the future of the student-athlete experience, coaching, facilities and fan engagement.

“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. “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.”

Norvell was hired as Florida State’s head coach in December of 2019 and navigated a global pandemic throughout his first year in Tallahassee. After becoming the only first-year coach in ACC history to defeat a top-five team, he built FSU to a 10-win team in 2022 and was awarded with a multi-year contract extension. After leading Florida State to its first ACC championship since 2014 behind a perfect 13-0 record, Norvell signed an enhanced contract in January of 2024. He holds an overall record of 71-42 in his career as a head coach, including 33-27 at Florida State, and is currently under contract with FSU through 2031.

“We are grateful for Coach Norvell’s commitment to our student-athletes,” Florida State Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “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.”

Vision of Excellence represents a bold and immediate step forward in FSU’s commitment to providing the best resources for student-athletes and ensuring the continued growth of Seminole Athletics. From state-of-the-art facilities to enhanced training programs, the fundraising effort will make a profound impact on all aspects of Florida State athletics.

 Fans of FSU Athletics are invited to become part of the Vision of Excellence by becoming a Seminole Boosters annual member, increasing a current annual membership to the next level, or through participation in the prestigious Bowden Society, which provides exclusive benefits for those who contribute to the long-term success of Seminole Athletics.

Seminole Boosters is the official philanthropic organization supporting Florida State Athletics, and its members play a crucial role in providing the financial resources that fuel FSU’s success across all sports. To learn more about the Vision of Excellence initiative, become a Seminole Booster member, or join the Bowden Society, please visit boosters.fsu.edu, or contact Seminole Boosters at (850) 644-1830.

Florida State begins its 2025 football season inside a renovated Doak Campbell Stadium on August 30 when it hosts Alabama.

SIGN UP: Join Warchant’s FSU Community for $1 today

Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State football fans on the Tribal Council.