Rick George to step down as Colorado athletic director

Rick George's nearly 13-year tenure as University of Colorado athletic director will end this summer, highlighted by the ambitious hiring of Deion Sanders as head football coach in 2022 but muddied by inconsistent on-field play and controversy. (Photo by Roy Chenoy/USA Today Sports)

After nearly 13 years at the helm of the Colorado Buffaloes, Athletic Director Rick George will step down from the role at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. 

George will transition into a position as a special advisor to the university's chancellor and the AD emeritus, he announced Thursday. The search for his successor will be announced at a later date.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as athletic director for the University of Colorado for the last 13 years, but after considerable thought and discussions with my family dating back to last spring, I have decided it is time for new leadership to guide the department,” George said in a news release.

George first came to CU in 1987, where he served as legendary football coach Bill McCartney’s recruiting coordinator before being promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Football Operations. He then served in leadership roles at Vanderbilt University, the PGA Tour and Texas Rangers before returning to Colorado in 2013 to serve as AD.

At the start of his time as AD, George spearheaded two major additions to the department's facilities — the Indoor Practice Facility and University Champions Center. George raised over $100 million for the Champions Center project, the largest fundraising campaign in department history. He also served on the College Football Playoff selection committee for three seasons.

In 2017, George was disciplined by the university for his response to allegations of domestic violence against a CU football assistant coach. An internal investigation found that George failed to immediately notify the university’s Title IX coordinator, a violation of the federal civil rights law. As part of the reprimand, he was required to donate $100,000 to organizations that address domestic violence. 

Following a 1-11 football season in 2022 that saw coach Karl Dorrell fired, George made the earth-shaking hire of Deion Sanders as his replacement. 

While Sanders’ overall record is 16-19, he led the team to a 9-4 season in 2024 with its second-ever Heisman Trophy winner in wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. “Coach Prime” has brought record ticket sales and received some credit for record-breaking enrollment at CU in recent years. 

George was named Athletic Director of the Year for 2023-2024 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. CU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also recognized him as Staff Member of the Year three times. 

"While well-earned, Rick's decision to step back from his role as CU Boulder Athletic Director is a loss for us, but I am glad he has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity next year," CU President Todd Saliman said.

Over the last five years, George has overseen the university's response to major changes in collegiate sports, including the COVID-19 pandemic, realignment to the Big 12 Conference during the collapse of the Pac-12 and several NCAA lawsuits surrounding student athletes. 

The largest of those, the House v. NCAA settlement that lets universities pay athletes for their name, image and likeness (NIL), went into effect in July. George spent over a year working to find new revenue streams and cut costs to pay athletes $20.5 million a year at CU. 

George's current contract pays him $1 million per year and runs through June 30, 2027. In his new role, George will continue those efforts, assisting CU Athletics in revenue-generating initiatives.