Report: Mike Gundy is in contract standoff with Oklahoma State
Sep 16, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. The Cowboys won 59-21. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have reportedly given head coach Mike Gundy something of an ultimatum over his future with the school.
Gundy is locked in a “standoff” with Oklahoma State over his contract, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. The school has asked him to take a pay cut and restructure his contract, but have yet to provide concrete details on a proposal. Thamel added that the school has even discussed firing Gundy for cause if he refuses the new deal.
They have discussed firing him for cause if he doesn’t agree to the new contract. He's owed nearly $25 million on his current contract.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 6, 2024
Pete Nakos of On3 reported that Oklahoma State wants Gundy to go “all-in” on NIL, and that the money saved on Gundy’s contract would be put toward NIL funds.
A source tells @On3sports that Oklahoma State offered Mike Gundy a reduced contract that would come with assurances he would go all-in on NIL.
The dollars saved on his contract would be put towards NIL/revenue sharing. If Gundy does not agree, Oklahoma State will terminate his… https://t.co/bgLRMARTB2
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 6, 2024
Gundy is on an automatic rollover contract, but is still owed $25 million by the university. He has been the Cowboys’ head coach since 2005 and boasts a lifetime record of 169-88, but is coming off a 3-9 campaign, the worst of his career.
Gundy has never been particularly enthusiastic about the NIL era, but it is simply the way things work now. Oklahoma State knows this, and it certainly appears to be a factor in this standoff. Still, the notion that Gundy might be on the way out after two decades in Stillwater is pretty stunning, even after such a rough season.