In loving memoryThe Mike Norvell Era 2020 - 2026
It is with heavy hearts that we report the most monumental news to come out of Tallahassee since they started letting boys go to school here in 1998: Florida State has fired Mike Norvell.
He was a coach. He was a contract. He was a $47 million line item. And while he is gone from the sideline, he will never leave our hearts, or the athletic department's books.
Mike Norvell's Florida State Tenure
An obituary, by the staff of MikeNorvellForever.com
He was a coach, a legend, a 41-39 record. He was our beacon of hope, then our beacon of something else. He was Tallahassee's guy. On Sunday, November 1, about 12 hours after a 36-24 home loss to Clemson, Florida State announced that the Mike Norvell era is over.
His tenure may have been long, but his list of wins over Miami, Florida, and Clemson since 2023 was short. When boosters first met him in 2019, one says it was like seeing an angel and signing a $10 million a year contract at the same time.
Another longtime booster put it best: "I love my wife. I do. But I loved that 2023 regular season."
Norvell is survived by a 3-5 team, an interim head coach named Rick Stockstill, a roughly $47 million buyout, and an athletic department that, according to President Richard McCullough's letter last week, is still preparing to begin the search for an athletic director soon. In fairness to Dick, the coaching decision did come first. We assume the right order is a suggestion.
He will be remembered for his energy, his press conferences, and the 19 straight wins that earned him the contract that is now being paid to him for not coaching. Truly, a winner to the end.
We will always remember the highs
Grief is a journey. Ours runs through some very specific memories.
- 202210-3
Won the Cheez-It Bowl over Oklahoma. A bowl named after a cracker, and we were proud of it. Those were simpler times.
- 2022-2319 straight
Won 19 games in a row. He got a new contract for it, which is how we got here. Every rose has its thorn, and every win streak has its buyout clause.
- 202313-0
An undefeated regular season and an ACC title. Then Jordan Travis, the only good player he ever coached, broke his leg in November, and the playoff committee left a 13-0 team at home. We will never forget the snub, mostly because we still bring it up at Thanksgiving.
- Orange Bowl3-63
Lost to Georgia 63-3. Please join us for a moment of silence, which is also what the offense observed that night.
- 20242-10
Opened the season in Ireland. We like to think the luck of the Irish was saving itself for something bigger. It is still saving.
- 20255-7
Beat No. 8 Alabama 31-17 in the opener. That was in late August. We have been reliving it ever since.
- 20263-5
Led Louisville 14-0, which we maintain was impressive. Took No. 3 Miami to double overtime before two late calls went the other way. Then lost to Clemson on Halloween, which was scary for reasons that had nothing to do with costumes.
Florida State has made a terrible mistake
Florida State now owes Norvell about $47 million, and buying out his assistants would push the total past $50 million. This is a school whose athletics department was already reported to be more than $430 million in debt. We warned everyone what happens when Florida borrows too much.
The school also has to hire a new coach before it hires the athletic director who would normally hire the coach. We are told this is the right order. We are told a lot of things.
And whoever comes next has to beat Miami, Florida, and Clemson, which Florida State has not done since the 2023 season. Norvell already knew how not to do that. Experience matters.
- 41-39
- Final record at Florida State. Still a winning record, technically, which is more than this season can say.
- 10-22
- Record since the start of 2024. The highs were higher before that.
- $47M
- Approximate buyout, paid to a man who will no longer lose games for us.
- 2031
- When the payments end. Grief, unlike his contract, has no end date.
Tributes from the (made-up) Seminole family
"I wore garnet to the funeral of the 2024 season and I will wear it again. I just did not think I would need it this often."
"Every time I see a 13-0 team, I think of him. Then I think of the committee, and I have to go lie down."
"I paid for that buyout with my donations, and I would do it again. Actually, I would like to not do it again."
Services
A memorial service will be held once the new athletic director is hired, which we are told will happen soon. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send $47 million to Tallahassee.
Florida State at Boston College
Kickoff at noon Eastern. The first game of the Rick Stockstill interim era. Please be gentle with him. He is new here, and he did not sign the check.
Sign the guestbook
Share a memory, light a candle, or chip in on the flowers. The family thanks you.
Candles lit
fans have lit a candle for the Norvell era. That is one candle per win, plus a few thousand for the snub.
The In Lieu of Flowers Fund
raised toward the buyout. The family's goal is $47 million.