The University of Colorado Boulder’s athletic director, Rick George, has announced that he’s stepping down after 12 years in that position to transition into a role as Special Advisor to the Chancellor and AD Emeritus.
BuffZone’s Brian Howell announced on X Thursday that George’s job change will not directly affect Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders’ job status heading into the 2026 season.
“Yes, this is NOT a sign that Deion Sanders is leaving CU. Rick is still planning to be involved with the football program,” Howell wrote to a poster claiming this was in the making for a while and that panic about Coach Prime leaving is unfounded.
George explained his decision in an email sent out via the Buffs Blast newsletter.
“This was an extremely difficult decision for me and one that was made after discussions with my wife, Nancy, that began in April. In August, I approached Chancellor Schwartz with my decision, and we agreed that announcing it now is the best thing for CU Athletics because it gives the Chancellor plenty of time to find the best person to lead this department. I have told the Chancellor that I will ensure the transition to a new Athletic Director is as smooth as possible,” George said.
“As you know, it’s an unprecedented time in college athletics, and I feel confident that CU is in a great position to succeed. Your continued support of our programs and of our student-athletes will ensure Colorado Athletics continues to compete at the highest level in everything we do.”
Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million contract extension before the 2025 season, after badgering George to do so. This offseason saw George invest heavily in Coach Prime’s program, dishing out multiple extensions for defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp. The defense has responded by giving up 30 points per game.
While the George news doesn’t relate to Sanders, it’s fair to wonder how the new AD will handle inheriting a football program that’s used many of the university’s resources to deliver yet another losing season.