It’s never quiet in Berkeley, especially when someone with a legacy—even a controversial one—steps away. On Monday, the news that longtime Cal AD Jim Knowlton was officially retiring sent a ripple through the California Golden Bears nation. After seven years at the helm of Cal’s athletic department, Knowlton’s time is up, effective July 1. The move arrives just as Cal braces for a seismic shift, with its 2024–25 leap from the Pac-12 to the ACC fast approaching and financial pressure mounting on the program.
A West Point grad with a long administrative résumé, Jim Knowlton took over Cal athletics in 2018 and signed a contract extension in 2021 that was supposed to keep him in place until 2029. But things rarely go according to plan in college sports—especially when marquee programs like football and basketball are sputtering. Despite leading the department through 10 national titles and improving Cal’s graduation success rate year over year, Knowlton’s tenure was increasingly defined by what didn’t go right.
The underwhelming state of Cal’s major sports was a focal point of criticism. Since 2019, the football team hasn’t posted a winning season, even though it managed to make four bowl appearances under Knowlton’s watch. On the basketball court, things were equally uninspired, with no real breakthrough seasons to hang his hat on. But the most publicly damning moment might have been the university’s handling of the abuse allegations that led to the dismissal of women’s swimming coach Teri McKeever. A scandal that many felt was mismanaged by the administration.
Sources: Jim Knowlton is retiring as Cal’s athletic director. He’s been the AD at Cal since 2018. pic.twitter.com/MwS5zOfhL8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 16, 2025
Knowlton’s final big move came earlier this year when Cal hired former NFL coach and Golden Bear alum Ron Rivera as its football GM. Innovative response to the increasing chaos of the transfer portal and NIL era. Whether that decision turns into a defining legacy move or just another short-lived experiment remains to be seen. With his departure now official, deputy directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O’Neill will step in as co-ADs in a new dual-leadership model set forth by Chancellor Richard Lyons.
In his farewell statement, Jim Knowlton remained classy and reflective: “It has been an incredible honor to serve at the University of California, Berkeley, the No. 1 public university in the country. The expectation of holistic excellence helps to drive everyone associated with the university, and our department is no exception. The combination of a world-class education, athletic excellence, an inclusive community, an awe-inspiring location and, most importantly, truly special people, make Cal a magnificent place to serve.” Meanwhile, Cal fans? They are clearly celebrating this move, seeing it as a sign of exciting times ahead.
Cal fans celebrate AD’s departure
Once Knowlton’s retirement hit the timeline, Cal fans didn’t hold back posting on the X. The responses were swift, savage, and at times straight-up hilarious. Among the first to appear: a single bold-lettered “W.” Digital mic drop that said everything without saying much. The kind of victory lap you take not after winning a game, but after watching the coach you never believed in finally step off the sidelines.
Then came the punchline of the day: “The Calgorithm just won their Super Bowl.” For a fanbase starved of football glory, this was the confetti moment. A clever dig that sums up the frustration and irony—fans haven’t had much to celebrate on the field lately, so a front office shake-up feels like the big win.
It didn’t take long before the real daggers came out. One commenter didn’t mince words, declaring, “He will go down as the worst Cal AD of all time.” While that may be a stretch considering Cal’s broader administrative history, it’s clear Jim Knowlton never won over the hardcore faithful. People expected more from a program with this much pedigree.
The flood continued with posts like “He did absolutely nothing during his time, the program regressed under him actually” and a cheeky “Enjoy retirement in Colorado!” Even Cal’s OC, Bryan Harsin, caught a stray, with one fan posting, “Bryan Harsin making everyone leave .” It’s unclear what sparked that punchline, but in the Wild West of comment sections, logic takes a backseat to venting. The point was made: for many fans, Knowlton’s era represented stagnation, missteps, and missed opportunities.
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