Louisville Approves Contract Extension for Athletic Director Josh Heird

Josh Heird's contract extension is now official.

On Thursday, the University of Louisville's Board of Trustees formally approved in a unanimous vote a five-year extension for the Louisville athletic director. This past Monday, the University of Louisville Athletic Association’s Board of Directors voted in a special meeting to extend Heird.

"This contract extension is a signal of the confidence that the university has in Josh's tremendous leadership," Louisville president Dr. Kim Schatzel said in a release. "He is the right person and the right leader to take UofL athletics toward its very bright future. Not only does Josh care deeply about our athletics department, but he also cares about this university and our community. We look forward to supporting him in this role for many years to come."

Heird has served as the acting athletic director since December of 2021, when he was elevated to interim AD following Vince Tyra's sudden resignation. He was formally stripped of the interim tag and hired to the full-time position in June of 2022. At the time, he was given a five-year contract.

"We have incredible momentum as an athletics department because of the talented and dedicated student-athletes, coaches and staff who pursue excellence every day," Heird said in a release. "We are grateful to President Schatzel and the university as well as Board of Trustees and the ULAA Board of Directors for their belief in our vision and for their incredible support of our programs. Louisville is home, and I am humbled to continue to serve this outstanding university and community."

While serving as the interim, Heird negotiated the buyout of then-men's basketball head coach Chris Mack from $12 million to $4.8 million when the two parties mutually parted way, and later hired Kenny Payne to take over. Women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz and volleyball head coach Dani Busboom-Kelly both received contract extensions during this time.

Since becoming the full-time athletic director, Heird has had to make two more major coaching hires. Payne was fired this past March after going 12-52 in two years at the helm, and is owed $7.25 million per his buyout. He went on to hire Charleston's Pat Kelsey, who is 5-4 through the first few weeks of the season, but has shown real potential.

Heird also hired Jeff Brohm to take over as the head coach of the football program following Scott Satterfield's departure for Cincinnati after the 2022 season. In two years at the helm, Brohm has guided the Cardinals to an 18-8 record, back-to-back bowls, and their first ever berth in the ACC Championship Game.

Additionally, Heird has helped better position Louisville in the ever-shifting modern landscape of college athletics. He helped orchestrate an official partnership between UofL and the NIL collective 502Circle, and they have since become one of the top collectives in the nation. Louisville also finalized a 20-year, $41-million naming rights deal for L&N Stadium.

Heird has also spearheaded a handful of beautification projects. He secured a $4 million donation to renovate the Angel's Envy Bourbon Club, a $1 million donation for the enhancement of Jim Patterson Stadium, and directed the completion of Denny Crum Hall.

The 43-year-old Heird is currently in his 14th year working for the Louisville athletic department. He got his start in 2007 under then-athletic director Tom Jurich, serving as the assistant athletic director until 2016. He then spent he spent two years at Villanova University, then was brought back to Louisville by Tyra in 2019.

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