Former Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was part of a historic losing season for the Seminoles in 2024, as the program finished 2-10 and raised major questions about the program's future under head coach Mike Norvell.
Prior to that campaign, Florida State had never lost 10 games in a single season, with the program's closest comparison coming in 1974 when the Seminoles went 1-10 under Darrell Mudra.
As concerns and pressure continued to mount throughout the season, Uiagalelei took much of the criticism surrounding a tension-filled year for Norvell and the Seminoles. Florida State fans have never been shy about expressing frustration when expectations fall short, but according to Uiagalelei's father, the reaction extended far beyond football.
Dave, or "Big Dave" Uiagalelei, recently opened up about the emotional toll the 2024 season took on his son and family, including allegations of harassment, death threats, and hostile treatment during the Seminoles' historic 2-10 campaign.
"DJ was receiving death threats, bomb threats. DJ couldn't even go to a McDonald's in Florida. They would spit in his food and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, my son never wavered," Uiagalelei said.
It's not the first time the FSU faithful may have allowed their passion to cross the line from criticism about the game into something far more personal. James Blackman , Jordan Travis, and defensive coordinator Tony White have received threats from fans.
Sep 21, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (4) before a game against the California Golden Bears at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images
As with many programs like FSU, criticism on social media often becomes amplified beyond reality, but the type of behavior being described still crosses a line regardless of where it originated.
"I myself, have to watch, listening, having people on the outside world telling people how crappy we are, and all this kind of stuff," White said in 2025 . "You hear all the stories and you hear all the stuff, all the negativity that can come out. I mean, got death threats, all this kind of stuff in my Twitter, if I want to get caught up in it, I'd get caught up in it,"
Preparing for his second year in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, Uiagalelei appears to be moving beyond what many viewed as an unprecedented disaster during Florida State's 2024 season.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook , X , and Instagram for the latest news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/fsu as Father Claims Former FSU Football QB Received Threats From Fans .
