After more than a decade leading the Colorado Buffaloes’ athletics department, athletic director Rick George revealed last week that he will relinquish his role as athletic director once the current academic year concludes.

George, who took the helm in Boulder in 2013, is widely recognized for one of the boldest hires in recent college football history: bringing Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders on board as head coach of the Buffaloes.

While he is stepping away from day-to-day administration, George isn’t going far. He will transition into a special advisory position focused specifically on the football program.

This week, George made it clear that his belief in Sanders remains unwavering.

“Looking forward to supporting and working with @DeionSanders for a while. I love Deion to life!” George wrote on social media.

Sanders, who was kept in the loop throughout the process, responded with an emotional tribute to the outgoing AD.

“I love Rick to life. I don’t feel like I’m losing him because he’s still part of the program. We’ve talked extensively for a while about this decision he’s making,” Sanders said.

“I wouldn’t be here without him… I’m pretty sure we’re gonna be in good hands.”

The Buffaloes enter the final stretch of a challenging 2025 season with a 3-7 record, having dropped their last three contests. Deion Sanders and his team have two opportunities left to finish on a positive note, closing the regular season against Arizona State and Kansas State.

Colorado will host Arizona State this Saturday with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.