Florida State football is in the midst of a frustrating era after back-to-back disappointing seasons. Mike Norvell is in a hot seat, and the OC just announced his retirement. To help the program, a Noles legend threw a seven-figure lifeline, but the news broke in a way he never intended.

Former FSU Heisman winner Jameis Winston appeared in an interview with Front Office Sports’ Daniel Roberts.

“Well, I definitely donated my money to my alma mater. However they distribute that money, and it’s up to them,” former FSU QB and Heisman winner, Jameis Winston told Front Office Sports. Though Winston didn’t reveal the exact donation figure on camera, when asked off camera, he said it was “more than a million.”

Winston’s legend at FSU was cemented in his 2013 season, where he not only guided the Seminoles to a perfect 14-0 national championship but also collected a trove of individual hardware, including the Heisman and Manning Awards. He finished his Florida State career with a 26-1 record, with his only loss coming in his final college game against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Since then, the Heisman winner has had a strange career in the pros. The bouts of success were followed by inconsistent performances. After playing for Tampa Bay for five years, Winston has served as a backup for the Saints, the Browns, and now the Giants. Over this journey, he has raked in more than $50 million in NFL earnings. Now, he is just a part of that to support his alma mater.

Even with his support towards FSU’s NIL collective, Winston maintains a cautious tone when discussing young college players earning six- and seven-figure payouts and advises them to be responsible.

“You’re seeing them get connected with lawyers, with financial advisors, with a different type of person that they wouldn’t have access to until they were drafted in the NFL,” Winston said.

Top Stories

Patrick Mahomes’ Dad Faces 10-Year Prison Sentence After Chiefs QB’s Father Reportedly Violated Probation Terms

PGA Tour Split Into Two as Scottie Scheffler Confirms Stance on Patrick Reed’s Return

Multiple PGA Tour Pros Stopped from Playing as WM Phoenix Open Round Is Canceled Over Recurring Problem

Scottie Scheffler Faces Scrutiny After Taking Out Anger on Golf Club at WM Phoenix Open: ‘Washed’

“Stay Right There on the Bench”: LSU’s Grace Knox Faces Backlash After Heated Moment in 64-77 Loss vs Texas

Justin Jefferson Makes Final Decision on Joining Buffalo Bills After Further Damaging J.J. McCarthy Relationship

“I think that accessibility to be able to start growing with your parents learning you, whoever their legal guardian is, is required in this game now because they’re getting a lump sum money and they have to know how to steward that money,” the Giants QB added.

That long-term thinking is missing from the actions of the current crop of college players. We have already seen how entering the portal hasn’t worked for every player. In fact, hundreds go without a scholarship after they decide to transfer. But this is the reality. And programs like Florida State are still catching up.

The Noles’ NIL exploits aren’t as prominent as those of top NIL programs like Ohio State, Texas Tech, Texas, and Oregon. It has still given generously to its players. According to reports, FSU’s Athletic Department spent a whopping $208 million in the 2025 financial year, a 22.6% increase from 2024.

In comparison, the Noles’ athletic department ate up $169.8 million from its budget in 2024. In all, FSU’s spending has increased by 38% over the past 4 years, coinciding with Mike Norvell’s tenure. Even in the NIL game, FSU hasn’t lagged.

FSU Football’s NIL spending is simply wasteful

Florida State’s 13-1 season in 2023 was fueled by heavy transfer portal signings and the retention of key players. To do that, Noles’ Battles’ End collective led the effort, headed by Ingram Smith. FSU landed players like Jordan Travis, Trey Benson, and Keon Coleman from the portal and handed them high-profile NIL deals. QB DJ Uiagalelei also came after an extravagant NIL deal, along with UGA’s Marvin Jones Jr. The ambitions were high, and FSU was vying to spend $18 million in 2024-2025.

“We were one of the first collectives to just say, ‘Yeah, y’all are being very stupid if you’re spending 70% of your money on high school kids,” Ingram Smith said. “We went heavily into retention and portal. That has changed as Florida State has signed higher-ranked high school prospects and will continue to do so.” Despite that, FSU regressed and finished with just 2 wins in the 2024 season.

Thereafter, in the 2025 season, Mike Norvell finished with just 5 wins. In truth, FSU’s portal-heavy approach has backfired, and putting high school recruiting on the back burner has shown massive consequences. This January, FSU lost 35 players to the portal, ranking 11th in the nation.

Moreover, Mike Norvell’s 10 players from the 2024 recruiting class are now suiting up elsewhere. Four out of the seven recruits in the 2025 class left FSU for other programs. As for FSU’s transfers this season, just five of its 22 additions have played at Power 4 schools. All signs point to a repeat of the 2025 season.

FSU has several donors apart from Winston. That includes Dr. William T. Hold, who made a $1 million commitment to the program and other collectives, too, like “The Gold Standard,” which also supports FSU. But Mike Norvell and Co. seemingly aren’t putting that money to use prudently, and until that happens, FSU will remain in its current rut.