University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the 2026 calendar year, the university announced Monday. The move follows a $12 million independent investigation into the athletic department’s culture and procedures, which identified failures in leadership accountability and reporting culture following a series of high-profile scandals.
Departure of Warde Manuel at the End of 2026
Warde Manuel, who has served as Michigan’s athletic director since 2016, will conclude his tenure at the end of the 2026 calendar year. University President Domenico Grasso confirmed the decision on July 20, according to WDIV Local 4. Manuel, a former Wolverine defensive tackle who played under Bo Schembechler from 1986 to 1989, had previously acknowledged that his professional future remained uncertain in the days leading up to the announcement.
It’s not taking away from me doing my job and what I need to do to drive success. How those conversations come together and when things are going to be announced, I can’t predict that,
Manuel told The Michigan Insider last week, as reported by CBS Sports. President Grasso has asked Manuel to remain in his post through the end of the year to serve as a special advisor and assist in the implementation of new institutional reforms.
Findings of the $12 Million Jenner & Block Investigation
The decision to transition leadership follows an independent review commissioned by the university in late 2025. The school retained the law firm Jenner & Block to conduct two distinct evaluations: one focused on the conduct of former head football coach Sherrone Moore and another broader audit of the culture, conduct, and procedures within the athletic department. According to Sports Illustrated, the university spent more than $12 million on this investigation.
For more on this story, see Warde Manuel Faced Pressure Over Football Scandal.
While the university has opted not to release the full report, citing pending litigation, it provided a summary outlining three primary areas requiring improvement: leadership accountability, organizational structure, and reporting culture. The investigation identified failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees,
as noted by ESPN. Despite these findings, the university stated that the review did not conclude that misconduct was widespread
throughout the department.
Context of Departmental Controversies
Manuel’s tenure has been marked by a dichotomy of high-level athletic achievement and persistent institutional friction. During his time as director, Michigan teams secured national championships in football and men’s basketball, along with success in gymnastics. However, these victories were accompanied by a series of high-profile departures and legal issues, including the 2025 termination of Sherrone Moore following allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate staff member.
Legal challenges remain a significant factor for the university. Paige Shiver, the former executive assistant involved in the circumstances surrounding Moore’s firing, has filed suit against the university, alleging that she experienced years of manipulation, harassment and exploitation.
Shiver’s legal team has argued that the university failed to protect its employees, and she has publicly stated that she believes strongly that she may not be the only person who experienced inappropriate, coercive, or predatory behavior
within the department.
Additionally, former staffer Chris Partridge has alleged in an amended lawsuit that Manuel and former president Santa Ono discovered evidence of the Connor Stalions sign-stealing operation on a hard drive belonging to former assistant Matthew Weiss in January 2023, but failed to report it to the NCAA or the Board of Regents. The university has maintained that pending litigation limits the University’s ability to discuss certain facts, evidence, investigative analysis, and personnel matters.
This follows our earlier report, Manuel Faces Regent Scrutiny.
Institutional Response and Future Outlook
In his statement, President Grasso acknowledged the severity of the situation, and described the investigation’s findings as unacceptable
and emphasized that the university has significant work ahead to restore its standing.
As the university moves toward the end of the year, it has confirmed that it does not plan to release further documentation regarding the Jenner & Block findings. For now, the athletic department faces a transition period under Manuel’s remaining oversight as the university attempts to implement policy changes across six areas, ranging from human resources to departmental compliance.
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