$76 Million Fired Coach Makes Unexpected Appearance at College Football Program

Jimbo Fisher has been itching to get back into coaching after his firing from Texas A&M.

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Jimbo Fisher was once atop the sport of college football in terms of best coaches, but hasn't graced the sidelines as a head coach since 2023.

Fisher was the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles from 2010-17, where he led the team to four New Year's Six bowl games and a BCS National Championship in 2014. Ultimately, things soured in Tallahassee, and he jumped ship for the Texas A&M job in 2018.

In College Station, Fisher and the higher-ups essentially promised a title, by displaying a plaque for a national championship with no date. They also put together a No. 1 recruiting class that was reportedly worth around $30 million. Despite all the confidence, Fisher's best season was the shortened COVID year that saw them go 9-1, and he was ultimately fired.

He ended up receiving what is still the largest buyout in college football history, of $76.8 million, and hasn't returned to coaching since. However, just because he hasn't been hired in an capacity capacity, doesn't mean he isn't still around the sport.

Jimbo Fisher helps out at Group of Five powerhouse

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher looks on. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

As revealed earlier in the week, Memphis Tigers head coach Charles Huff asked the championship-winning head coach to swing by a practice.

"I have a lot of respect for what he's done," Huff said. "It really helped out, so I reached out to him and he's sitting at home on the farm with $75 million. I said 'Man you miss ball?' He said 'Some days.' I said 'Why don't you come up for a day and kind of put some eyes on things, and he was more than willing to."

Fisher has since found work as a part of the ACC Network, but told Yahoo's Ross Dellenger back in October that he misses coaching, and would love to make a return.

“When you’re away from something, it makes you reflect,” Fisher told Yahoo. “I’m back to watching film and have those feelings. I miss the players and those relationships. I miss practice. I miss the grind. I live to coach. I love to do what I did.”

While many people would take their $70+ million dollars and travel the world or settle down somewhere, Fisher revealed that he doesn't coach for the money.

“I never got into coaching for money,” he says. “Well, I’m not going to get out of it because I’ve got money.

It's unclear if Fisher will end up getting another shot at 60-years-old to take over a program, but he clearly is hoping to at least stay around the sport at the very minimum.