Florida fans prayers’ have finally been answered. The Gators have fired Billy Napier, for the lost cause of a season that came in his leadership. He leaves with a troubled 22-23 record, leaving the program with no hopes for coming back up this year. Florida will owe him a hefty buyout though. It’s a figure that boosters were ready to pay up to save the program from further doom.

The only highlight of Billy Napier’s 4th season at Gainesville was the win over Texas. But he had already brought home 3 straight losses by that time. And of course, he had also produced 2 straight losing seasons for Florida in his tenure. A stellar DJ Lagway saved Napier from the axe last year, because donors were prepared to show him the doors back then. The high stakes surrounding his job, and the pressure of a brutal 2025 schedule ultimately did Billy Napier in at Gainesville. Here’s a look at Napier’s buyout from Florida.

How Much is Billy Napier’s Buyout?

Per the HC’s $51.8 million contract, his buyout stood at around $21.2 million if he was fired after the Mississippi State game. The amount is calculated keeping in mind 85% of his annual pay is owed as compensation. Florida also has to cough up half of the buyout money (a little over 10 $million) within 30 days. The HC will be owed $2.65 million for the next 4 years, per his contract. Since the HC does not have a mitigation or off-setting clause in his contract, Florida owes him the full amount even if Napier finds a new job. He will also be paid an additional $1.2 million (85% of his next 2 months’ salary),

Billy Napier was signed on a 7-year contract, that ran till 2029. He was set to receive an annual salary upwards of 7 million, a figure which got bumped up even more for the 2025 season. USA Today lists Napier’s paycheck for this year at $7.4 million. He also enjoyed quite the perks at Gainesville. Florida was paying him for 2 cars, allotted him his own suite for home games, and also access to the UF Athletic Association’s aircraft.

What the Buyout Means for Florida’s Budget

Looking at what Napier has done with the program, it was a much-needed call for the administration to take. But AD Scott Stricklin backed the underperforming coach at that time. A 21 million buyout is steep. But is still a price that would help Florida donors get a good sleep after paying. Napier’s buyout is walk in the park compared to James Franklin’s buyout, which is more than double. After the House settlement, Florida Athletics’ pending for the 2025-26 season is set to cross $200 million.

Because of his total pay being a guaranteed figure, Florida is set to look at a big financial loss by the time it gets done with Napier for good. The coach managed to make $21.91 million over the past 3 seasons. The Gators have given a lot, but sadly, not much has been able to come out of it. Now, it’s the administration who’s left to clean up the mess Napier created.

WR coach Billy Gonzales takes over as interim head coach. He is currently in his 3rd stint with Florida, having been with the program as an assistant from 2005-2009, and 2018-2021. Gonzales will have to lead Florida through the extremely tough gauntlet of games coming up: Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. It was probably because of this lineup that Billy Napier was fired, despite him winning the Mississippi State game.

The opening of the Florda job now invites a wild mix of candidates. James Franklin will be a choice for fans, since Florida needs a desperate rebuild after the season. However, the top favorite seems to be Lane Kiffin, who has family ties to Florida. He has also been in the state as head coach of FAU. Kiffin knows the environment here, and will be a slam dunk choice for Florida. But Kiffin has firmly expressed his loyalty to Ole Miss, and won’t depart from there so easily. Other names popping up for the job are Eli Drinkwitz, Rhett Lashlee, and even Marcus Freeman.

Florida is not all that sunny for its head coaches. They ultimately end up either leaving the program for a better job, or are fired. Billy Napier knew that 2025 was a mammoth task for him, but he had no option except for getting it done. Instead, the former HC is leaving with a rough past to look at in Gainesville.