Florida State will make Sebastian Janikowski’s No. 38 untouchable this fall.
The Seminoles announced that Janikowski’s number will be retired during the season opener against New Mexico State on Aug. 29, putting an end to any future use of 38 by an FSU football player.
Janikowski carved out a place among the program’s best during his run in Tallahassee from 1997 through 1999. He was part of Florida State’s 12-0 national championship team in 1999, his senior year, and left school as one of the most productive kickers the Seminoles have ever had.
The résumé speaks for itself. Janikowski, a member of the 2013 FSU Athletics Hall of Fame, converted 66 of 83 field goals and 126 extra points. At the time he left, he held the program record for career field goal percentage, ranked second in school history with five field goals from 50 yards or longer, and stood third all-time at FSU in points scored with 324 and in made field goals with 66.
He becomes the 13th Seminole to have his jersey or number retired, joining Deion Sanders (2), Jameis Winston (5), Peter Warrick (9), Derrick Brooks (10), Chris Weinke (16), Charlie Ward (17), Fred Biletnikoff (25), Terrell Buckley (27), Warrick Dunn (28), Ron Sellers (34), Ron Simmons (50) and Marvin Jones (55).
Janikowski’s NFL career was just as imposing. He spent 17 seasons with the Raiders and remains the franchise’s all-time leader with 414 made field goals, 605 PATs and 1,913 points.
One of his biggest blasts came in 2011, when he drilled a 63-yarder that matched an NFL record. He finished his career in 2018 after one season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Florida State’s 2026 schedule also includes SMU on Sept. 7, a bye week, a trip to Alabama on Sept. 19, Central Arkansas on Sept.
26, Virginia on Oct. 3, road games at Louisville on Oct. 9 and Miami on Oct. 17, another bye, Clemson on Oct. 31, Boston College on Nov.
7, Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, NC State on Nov. 21 and Florida on Nov.
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The deal marks the first jersey patch sponsorship in Florida State Athletics history, a notable shift for a program now tying its identity to a corporate partner in a more visible way. The school framed the move as a shared commitment to innovation and excellence, and it gives the basketball program a fresh layer of distinction as it prepares for a new era on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
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Florida State Football Faces An Awkward Revenue Question Fans Will Notice
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What stands out for Seminoles fans is that football, the sport that drives the biggest spotlight and the biggest dollars, still does not have a patch deal in place. In a market where athletic departments are weighing every new revenue stream and trying to keep pace with the national heavyweights, the absence of a football sponsorship only adds another layer to the discussion about how aggressively Florida State is monetizing its brand and where the next move might come from. [Read more 🡒]