Dan Mullen slams Florida after Billy Napier’s firing

Dan Mullen reignited criticism of Florida’s resource allocation after Billy Napier’s firing, questioning the Gators’ long-term commitment to winning.

Former Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen delivered harsh criticisms to the University of Florida after it fired head football coach Billy Napier. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Florida Gators are once again looking for a new head coach after firing Billy Napier. The decision came during the team’s second bye week of the 2025 season, closing the book on a disappointing four-year run that never met expectations.

Napier’s 22-23 record, including a 12-16 mark in SEC play, marked another chapter in Florida’s ongoing struggle to find stability since Urban Meyer’s departure. Despite flashes of progress, including a late-season push in 2024 that briefly cooled the hot seat talk, losses to USF, Miami, LSU, and Texas A&M brought his tenure to an end.

For former Gators head coach Dan Mullen, who spoke to Yahoo's Dan Wolken, the timing of Florida’s decision wasn’t surprising. What did stand out, though, was his renewed criticism of how the university allocates its resources. In an interview with Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken, Mullen revisited his own departure and compared the level of support Napier received to what he was given during his time in Gainesville.

Dan Mullen Calls Out Florida’s Resource Gap

Mullen, now 6-1 in his first season at UNLV, did not hold back when asked about his former employer. He pointed directly at Florida’s decision to double the salary pool for Napier’s coaching staff, a benefit he claims he was denied.

“I think we’re six months apart, we’ve won at very high levels, won where it’s hard to win, won where you should win,” Mullen told Wolken. “Then all of a sudden it doesn’t look right and, yeah, quick trigger and you’re gone. But I also look at — and maybe I don’t know the specifics of his situation — whatever that’s going to cost them, are they going to give the next guy a lot more than they gave him, as far as resources?”

The Florida Gators fired former head coach Billy Napier last Sunday. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

He went further, highlighting what he viewed as a double standard between his tenure and Napier’s. “Everything was, ‘No.’ And then everything I asked for, they said, ‘Here you go’ to the next person,” Mullen said. “They doubled the salary pool to hire coaches and staff members. I was always told no. Everything was no.”

Mullen’s record at Florida, 34-15 overall with two New Year’s Six appearances, still stands above Napier’s output. Yet, both coaches share the same fate: fired before delivering a consistent contender. The irony, Mullen suggested, is that Florida only expanded its investment after his exit.

Florida’s Next Step In Head Coach Search

Florida’s administration insists the program is now fully resourced, pointing to the James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center, a strong NIL infrastructure, and improved facilities. Athletic director Scott Stricklin said the school has never committed more financially to football.

Still, Mullen’s comments underscore an uncomfortable truth: the Gators have cycled through coaches without fixing the foundation. Until Florida aligns its ambitions with tangible support, the revolving door in Gainesville may keep spinning.

The Gators are on a bye and return to the field next week against No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville.