Mike Gundy has been a fixture at Oklahoma State, both as a player and coach, since the mid-1980s. All good things must come to an end, however. In Gundy's case, that end appears closer than ever before.
Gundy is the Cowboys' all-time winningest coach, posting a 169-88 record during his time in Stillwater. But his past two seasons have been trying as ever. Oklahoma State limped to a putrid record in 2024, falling well short of bowl game qualification. The Cowboys looked a little stronger to start the 2025 season. But their showing against No. 6 Oregon left much to be desired; Oklahoma State fell behind by more than 60 points en route to a 69-3 defeat to the Ducks, a result made all the more painful by the fact that Gundy called out Oregon and its head coach, Dan Lanning, for its budget and resources. The result represents Oklahoma State's worst loss in program history.
Gundy's seat was already scalding. After Oklahoma State's display against the Ducks, it seems fairly untenable. Here's the latest on Gundy's status, including whether the Cowboys will give him the boot in 2025.
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Will Oklahoma State fire Mike Gundy?
The 20 years Gundy has spent in Stillwater make him the second-longest-tenured coach in FBS, trailing only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. Yet some believe his time at Oklahoma State may be nearing its end.
At his peak, Gundy had the Cowboys competing atop the Big 12. The past two seasons, however, have seen them slide, undone by lackluster performances in a conference that feels far less formidable than it did in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Oklahoma State went 3-9 in 2024, good for the program's worst win rate since 1955. Gundy sat on a searing seat for much of the season. He seemed a likely candidate to be handed his walking papers after the Cowboys fell to Colorado, 52-0, in the final game of their season. The Athletic reported that Oklahoma State's board of regents considered sacking Gundy for cause after he bashed the Cowboys' critics, calling them the same people “that can’t pay their own bills” and are “not taking care of their own job."
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In the end, Oklahoma State settled on restructuring Gundy's contract. His salary dropped by $1 million. The deal also changes his buyout — per ESPN, Gundy would be owed $15 million if he's fired over the next three seasons and $10 million if he's let go in 2028, the final year of his current contract.
Athletic director Chad Weiberg also requested that Gundy be more involved in fundraising.
An Oklahoma State alum and three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, Gundy would seem to have more security than most. Yet the Cowboys' desire to alter the terms of his contract and his buyout suggests the end could be near for the 57-year-old.
Mike Gundy contract details
In Jan. 2025, Gundy and Oklahoma State reached an agreement on a revised contract. The deal reduces Gundy's salary by $1 million, though he retained the $125,000 annual increase included in his old contract. He was also tasked with taking on additional responsibilities, including participating in “fundraising and donor engagement activities.” Gundy is expected to assist in succession planning for the program’s next head coach, per News 9.
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Mike Gundy buyout clause
Also included in Gundy's revised deal is a change in his buyout clause. Whereas Gundy's previous contract saw him net a percentage of his remaining compensation if fired, now he'll be owed $15 million if fired in the next three years and $10 million if fired in 2028.
