Audio By Carbonatix
Mike Gundy may or may not return to Oklahoma State as head coach during the 2025 college football season. He and the university are currently involved in contract negotiations that could result in his ouster if the two sides cannot come to an agreement.
According to reports about the ongoing situation, the 57-year-old is being extorted.
Gundy was hired to succeed Les Miles way back in 2005. The Cowboys are 169-88 during his 20-year tenure with eight seasons of 10 wins or greater. It is now to the point where he is synonymous with Oklahoma State football. In fact, most of today’s student-athletes do not know life without Gundy as the head coach in Stillwater.
However, the Pokes won only three games in 2024 and did not record a single win during conference play after being picked as a dark horse College Football Playoff contender prior to the season. 3-9 was the worst record of Gundy’s entire tenure. He went 4-7 during his first year.
Oklahoma State has decided to reevaluate its future because of the catastrophic failure. In doing so, the powers that be are considering a change at head coach.
According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, the two parties are in a “standoff.” The Cowboys want Gundy to take less money on a restructured contract. Gundy is not so sure he wants to get paid less. Should he ultimately decide not to do so and does not agree to the new deal, the university “has discussed firing him for cause.”
To be fair to Oklahoma State, it has a plan. This isn’t just a shakedown. If Gundy does agree to a pay cut, the recouped money would be pumped right back into the program through NIL. According to Pete Nakos of On3, he could will be fired if he does not agree.
A source tells On3 Sports 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 existing deal and launch a head coaching search.
— Pete Nakos
This behavior, as presented through various reports, is extortion— even if the overall wellbeing of the college football program is the underlying driving force. Cambridge Dictionary defines “extortion” as “the act of getting something, especially money, by force or threats.”
The Cowboys want money back from Mike Gundy and threatened his job if he does not agree to give the money back. Oklahoma State is walking a very thin line because that is extortion at its very core. This ongoing “standoff” could get litigious in a hurry if it does not resolve in a mutually beneficial manner.