ACC Commissioner John Swofford to Retire in 2021

Swofford, 71, is the longest-serving commissioner in ACC history.

ACC commissioner John Swofford will retire following the 2020-21 athletic year, the conference confirmed on Thursday. 

Swofford, 71, is the longest-tenured commissioner in ACC history. He took over as commissioner in 1997, expanding the ACC from nine teams to 15 teams in his tenure.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of the ACC for over five decades and my respect and appreciation for those associated with the league throughout its history is immeasurable,” Swofford said in a statement. “Having been an ACC student-athlete, athletics director and commissioner has been an absolute honor. There are immediate challenges that face not only college athletics, but our entire country, and I will continue to do my very best to help guide the conference in these unprecedented times through the remainder of my tenure."

Swofford was a quarterback at North Carolina in 1969 and 1970. He was named the athletic director at North Carolina prior to taking over as ACC commissioner.


Published
Michael Shapiro
MICHAEL SHAPIRO

Michael Shapiro is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. He is a Denver native and 2018 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.