The Big Lead

Why Mike Norvell is giving back $4.5 million of his salary to Florida State

By Joe Lago

Nov 9, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell watches in the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell watches in the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images
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Strategic move to save his job? Or generous contract restructure to restock the university's athlete coffers?

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Mike Norvell oversaw a stunning decline of the Florida State football program, which went from a 13-1 record last season to 2-10 this year. However, the Seminoles head coach decided to contribute $4.5 million of his 2024 salary to the university on Monday to assist with the school's upcoming revenue share with athletes under the new House v. NCAA settlement agreement.

Each Division I school is permitted to share at least $20.5 million with athletes starting on July 1. According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, Norvell is the third coach to agree to give back money, joining LSU's Brian Kelly and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy.

Florida State announced Norvell's agreement to a contract restructure "to help launch the Vision of Excellence initiative."

"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. "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."

According to The Athletic, Norvell's contract amendment states that his contribution be "applied in support of the football program." He'll also consult with FSU on how the funds will be used.

Last spring, with Norvell being mentioned as a candidate for Alabama's head coach opening, Florida State gave the 43-year-old a new contract that doubled his salary to $9.9 million. By the end of his deal in 2031, Norvell will make $11 million annually.

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