Colorado athletic director who hired Deion Sanders is stepping down

At the end of the day, athletic director Rick George will go down as a legend for the Colorado Buffaloes. However, George has decided to step away from his position at the end of this academic years.

"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," said George in a statement. "I wanted to make this announcement now in order to give Chancellor Schwartz plenty of time to find the right person for Colorado, and I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth transition. I also wanted to time my announcement so that I could support Coach Prime and our football team this season, which I'm looking forward to continuing in my new role. "

George has been at Colorado as the AD since 2013. He was a part of legendary Colorado coach Bill McCartney's staff in 1990 when the Buffaloes won a national championship. George served as the recruiting coordinator and assistant athletic director for football operations in that era of greatness for Colorado.

When he came back to Boulder, he did a ton of great things for the Buffaloes in 10-plus years on the job. Under George, the Buffs added a new athletic building to Folsom Field. He was named the Athletic Director of the Year in 2023-24. He helped bring Colorado into the Big 12 when conference expansion started popping off.

The man who brought Deion Sanders to the Colorado Buffaloes is stepping away

Much of his success as the athletic director will absolutely be tied with bringing in Deion Sanders as the head coach in 2023, though.

Colorado was an afterthought in college football for years before 2023, and while "Coach Prime" hasn't necessarily put together an elite win-loss record, he has absolutely put the program back on the map.

People tune in to watch Colorado play, if only because of the must-see nature of Sanders. Let's also not forget the star power he brought to Colorado, too. 

His son, Shedeur Sanders, was one of the top quarterbacks in college football in 2023 and 2024, and wideout/cornerback sensation Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy last season representing Colorado.

Colorado is now one of the more watched brands in the Big 12, and perhaps none of that would have been possible without George.

Although he is stepping down, he will still serve Colorado as a special adviser to the chancellor, the school announced.