Oklahoma State decided to part ways with head coach Mike Gundy after the team got off to a 1-2 start in the 2025 season, including a loss to Tulsa. The decision drew mixed reactions, as Gundy was undeniably struggling this season but had been a cornerstone of Oklahoma State football for over 20 years.
Shortly after the firing, his former Big 12 rival Deion Sanders, the head coach of Colorado, publicly criticized Oklahoma State for letting Gundy go, calling the legendary head coach a hero of his.
Deion Sanders Slams Oklahoma State Over Mike Gundy Firing
Gundy became Oklahoma State’s head coach in 2005, a logical choice given that he had played quarterback for the Cowboys from 1986 to 1989.
He achieved significant success as the program’s leader, guiding the team to bowl games in 18 straight seasons from 2006 to 2023 and winning 12. Gundy also posted double-digit wins in eight of his 20 seasons.
However, following a 3-9 2024 season and a 1-2 start to 2025, his 21st year as head coach, the program decided to move on, firing Gundy after the fourth week of the season.
The decision highlighted just how quickly things can change in college football, especially considering Gundy led the Cowboys to double-digit wins in 2023. Oklahoma State’s move sparked significant controversy.
One vocal critic was Sanders, who blasted Oklahoma State for firing Gundy after everything he had done for the program, calling the longtime head coach a hero of his.
“Mike Gundy is a winner, man,” Sanders said. “Like, wasn’t he just in the championship a few years ago. And you do that? To Mike Gundy, man? To Mike Gundy? If anyone out there knows him and he gets this message, coach, I love you, I appreciate you, I respect you. You are a hero to me.”
They are kind words from Sanders, who is only in his third season as a Power Four head coach and can only hope to achieve what Gundy accomplished at Oklahoma State.
Sanders has every reason to be upset about Oklahoma State’s decision, especially since it came midseason. After all Gundy did for the program, the school didn’t let him finish the year. It instead publicly embarrassed him, leaving his players without their leader.
There’s no doubt Gundy struggled to adapt to the era of NIL and likely wasn’t the long-term solution for the Cowboys’ future. Still, people like Sanders are criticizing Oklahoma State’s handling of the situation, not the decision itself.
Gundy may be out of a job, but his firing has shown just how much he was respected and admired by many, including Sanders.
