Following the worst season of his 20-tenure tenure, Mike Gundy will coach 2025 on a reduced contract that makes it easier for Oklahoma State to identify and compensate a potential successor.
The Oklahoma A&M Colleges Board of Regents on Friday approved a previously-reported $1 million pay cut for Gundy, which also effectively ended his tenure atop the OSU football program. Gundy agreed in principle to the changes last month. He will now make $6.75 million in 2025 instead of a previously-scheduled $7.75 million. The deal comes with annual $125,000 raises.
In 2017, Gundy and OSU signed a 5-year contract with an automatic rollover. That deal has been replaced by a 4-year contract, which is now set to expire in 2028.
Additionally, Gundy's buyout was changed from a percentage of the dollars remaining on his contract to a flat fee of $15 million for the next three years. It would have cost Oklahoma State a reported $25 million to fire Gundy after 2025 under the previous deal.
Speaking of buyouts, the new contract requires Gundy to participate in "identifying, evaluating and developing a potential successor to facilitating a smooth transition of the program to the new coach" at the request of AD Chad Weiberg, according to The Oklahoman.
The $1 million that Oklahoma State is not paying Gundy will now be put toward the anticipated revenue share with Cowboy athletes. Gundy is also contractually required to participate in fundraising, which can include anything from "large gatherings to one-on-one events" at the request of the AD.
Following a 3-9 season in which Oklahoma State finished alone in last place in the Big 12 by two games, Gundy will be the only on-field assistant to return to his staff in 2025. Doug Meacham (offense) and Todd Grantham (defense) are new coordinator hires who will lead staffs comprised of position coaches who all coached elsewhere in 2024.
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