Former Florida State two-way sports star Charlie Ward is expected to become the new head coach at Florida A&M.
As ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported on Wednesday morning, the HBCU located in Tallahassee, Fla., is finalizing a deal to hire the basketball and football star as its next head men’s basketball coach.
Ward, who won college football’s Heisman Trophy in 1993 for the Noles, where he also played college basketball, will lead an FAMU program desperate for a turnaround. The Rattlers haven’t had a season above .500 since 2006-07.
Let’s take a look at Florida A&M’s hire of Ward, his basketball history and more.
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Why is Charlie Ward going to FAMU?
Florida A&M is hoping that the former college football, basketball and NBA star will turn around the program. Ward continues the recent trend of HBCU schools hiring prominent former black players, such as DeSean Jackson to Delaware State, and Michael Vick landing at Norfolk State.
Ward has spent several years in basketball coaching. He coached on the Houston Rockets from 2005-2007 as an assistant under Jeff Van Gundy. He has also been a high school basketball coach at Florida High in Tallahassee.
He helped lead his team to a state title in 2022. He was also appointed by a trustee at Tallahassee State College, so he has a ton of familiarity with the Tallahassee area.
Ward’s former coach, Jeff Van Gundy, had high praise for the hire:
“I think this is a stroke of genius by FAMU,” Van Gundy said in a statement to Pete Thamel. I think players and parents that choose to send their young man there, they are going to be absolutely thrilled. He’s going to coach basketball very well. He’s going to teach decision making and invest in who they become. His wife and kids are phenomenal. They have a hell of a family coming in to lead that program.”
Ward was drafted by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft, going No. 26 overall. He spent 10 years with the Knicks before ending his career with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.
MORE: Revisiting Charlie Ward’s incredible two-sport Florida State career
Charlie Ward NBA Stats
Ward enjoyed an 11-year NBA career, where he played point guard for the Knicks, Rockets and Spurs.
| Season | Team | Pos | FTA | TRB | AST | PTS |
| 1994-95 | NYK | PG | 1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 |
| 1995-96 | NYK | PG | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 3.9 |
| 1996-97 | NYK | PG | 1.6 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 5.2 |
| 1997-98 | NYK | PG | 1.4 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 7.8 |
| 1998-99 | NYK | PG | 1.6 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 7.6 |
| 1999-00 | NYK | PG | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 7.3 |
| 2000-01 | NYK | PG | 1.1 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 7.1 |
| 2001-02 | NYK | PG | 0.9 | 2 | 3.2 | 5.2 |
| 2002-03 | NYK | PG | 0.8 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 7.2 |
| 2003-04 | 2TM | PG | 0.4 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2003-04 | NYK | PG | 0.6 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 8.7 |
| 2003-04 | SAS | PG | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 3.3 |
| 2004-05 | HOU | PG | 0.9 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 5.4 |
Charlie Ward college stats
Ward was a two-sport star for Florida State in both college football and college basketball. He won the Heisman for the Noles in 1993, beating out finalists like quarterback Heath Shuler from Tennessee, Alabama running back David Palmer and San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk.
That season, Ward helped lead Florida State to a national championship, defeating Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange Bowl. He played for legendary FSU head coach Bobby Bowden.
Charlie Ward football stats
| Season | Team | Pos | G | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Pass Yds | TD | Rush Yds | TDs |
| 1989 | Florida State | P | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| 1991 | Florida State | QB | 12 | 5 | 9 | 55.6 | 68 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| 1992 | Florida State | QB | 11 | 204 | 365 | 55.9 | 2,647 | 22 | 504 | 6 |
| 1993 | Florida State | QB | 11 | 264 | 380 | 69.5 | 3,032 | 27 | 339 | 4 |
Charlie Ward basketball stats
For FSU’s basketball team, he played in 91 games over four seasons for the Noles.
| Season | Team | Pos | GS | MP | FG | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
| 1990-91 | Florida State | G | 21 | 23.8 | 2.7 | 3 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 8 |
| 1991-92 | Florida State | G | 22 | 30 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 7.2 |
| 1992-93 | Florida State | G | 14 | 32.8 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 7.8 |
| 1993-94 | Florida State | G | 16 | 35.9 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 10.5 |
Charlie Ward net worth
According to one source, Ward has a net worth of $12 million. Per the Tallahassee Democrat, Florida A&M is proposing to pay Ward an annual salary of $175,000 to start, which increases yearly there.
- 2025-2026: $175,000
- 2026-2027: $185,000
- 2027-2028: $195,000
- 2028-2029: $205,000
- 2029-2030: $215,000
The FAMU’s board of trustees is expected to approve the hire at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
