Texas A&M will dismiss football coach Jimbo Fisher and pay him the approximately $75 million due on his contract, multiple outlets reported Sunday.
His firing was expected to come Sunday morning, with a team meeting scheduled for later in the day to let players and coaches know. His termination is expected to be immediate, per Yahoo Sports.
The Aggies became bowl-eligible on Saturday with their 51-10 win over Mississippi State, moving to 6-4 (4-3 Southeastern Conference). However, administrators and alumni expected to contend for College Football Playoff championships when Texas A&M plucked him away from Florida State on Dec. 4, 2017, and gave him a 10-year, $75 million contract.
That first contract was replaced on Sept. 1, 2021, with a 10-year, fully guaranteed deal worth nearly $95 million.
Yahoo Sports reported that the Texas A&M University Board of Regents met in executive session on Thursday, with Fisher’s future part of their discussions.
At the time of the contract extension, the Aggies were 26-10 under Fisher, including two nine-win seasons. Since then, they are 19-15 for an overall 45-25 record.
Yahoo Sports reported the amount to buy out Fisher’s contract will exceed the total of $72 million that 15 schools paid to coaches who were fired last year.
Fisher, 58, coached eight seasons (2010-17) at Florida State, where he replaced the legendary Bobby Bowden. He left with an 83-23 record and a 2013 BCS championship, with the Seminoles posting an undefeated (14-0) season.
The Aggies have two remaining regular-season games — Saturday against Abilene Christian and Nov. 25 at LSU.
–Field Level Media