Jimbo Fisher ‘really wants’ return to Florida State after bailing led to program’s downfall

· New York Post

Jimbo Fisher last appeared as a head coach in 2023, when Texas A&M fired him.

After three years, the coach-turned-analyst has aspirations of putting the headset on one more time. 

According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Fisher wants to return to Tallahassee, where it all started with Florida State, while current coach Mike Norvell is considered to be on the hot seat.

Florida State Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher during a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. Getty Images

During his 14 years at the Division I level, Fisher spent eight seasons with the ACC school and was the brains behind its last national championship.

He was 83-23 overall and 48-16 in conference play during his tenure.

“[The] 60-year-old Fisher, who led the Seminoles to the national title to cap the 2013 season and then oversaw the beginning of the program’s backslide a few years later before taking the Texas A&M job, really wants the job, we’ve heard,” Feldman wrote.

Besides the ’22 and ’23 seasons, it has been a rough journey for the Seminoles since Fisher’s departure in 2017. 

Florida State is 48-47 overall and has had only three six-win seasons under coaches Willie Taggart and Norvell, along with the school’s last winning conference record coming in 2023, when the Seminoles were undefeated en route to winning the ACC Championship.

Florida State, at 1-1 in 2026, is once again looking toward a tough season after a devastating 27-24 home loss to 19th-ranked SMU in the opener, a game where the Seminoles’ defense forced four turnovers against a Mustangs team that has been extremely secure with the ball.

Florida State football coach Mike Norvell coaches his players as they warm up after a game delay due to a power outage on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. The SMU Mustangs beat the Florida State Seminoles 27-24 on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A sold-out crowd saw SMU kicker Nick Reed put the Mustangs ahead with a 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in regulation, capping off a game-winning nine-play, 71-yard drive by Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings.

As Norvell’s seat gets hotter, maybe the picture of a Fisher reunion at Doak S. Campbell Stadium becomes clearer and clearer.

Fisher spent six seasons with Texas A&M after leaving Florida State.

Florida State plays the SMU Mustangs on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. The loss followed a near two-hour delay in kickoff after a power outage at the stadium. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

His time in College Station was middle of the pack, despite early success.

He was 45-25 overall and brought the Aggies to 4th in the country in 2020, their highest AP ranking at that time since 1993.

The ACC Huddle pregame show kicks off on the campus of Florida State, featuring former FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher, as fans hold signs reading “bring back Jimbo” and “some legends hit different,” on Sept. 7, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

During Fisher’s final season, he held a 6-4 record — one win shy of Norvell’s total over the previous two years.