Oklahoma State approves new 4-year deal for AD Chad Weiberg

The Oklahoma State Board of Regents has approved a new, four-year contract for athletic director Chad Weiberg, the school announced Friday, ending monthslong speculation over his future in charge of the Cowboys’ athletic department.

Weiberg, a graduate of Oklahoma State, has held his role since 2021 when he took over for longtime athletic director Mike Holder. News of his extension comes one month after Weiberg and the university made the decision to fire legendary Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy on Sept. 23.

Uncertainty over Gundy’s job security entering the 2025 football season had at one point appeared linked to Weiberg’s own future with Oklahoma State. Prior to Friday, the fifth-year athletic director had been working without a contract since late June. Weiberg also underwent open-heart surgery in August to repair a valve issue.

With questions swirling over his status, Weiberg led the process to fire Gundy three games into the regular season last month and was later placed in charge of leading the search for the school’s next football coach. Hours after Gundy’s exit on Sept. 23, sources told ESPN that Weiberg was expected to sign a multiyear contract extension that would include a raise on his annual salary of $750,000. The deal was formally approved Friday morning during a meeting of the university’s board of regents in Warner, Oklahoma.

“Chad is providing strong, steady leadership during one of the most transformative periods in college athletics history,” Oklahoma State president Jim Hess said in a statement. “He has the ability to navigate complex challenges and keep our student-athletes and programs at the forefront.”

The formalization of Weiberg’s contract wraps a lengthy saga within Oklahoma State’s athletic department and brings stability as the school continues its search to replace Gundy, the winningest football coach in program history. Speaking on the process during an in-house interview released on Oct. 16, Weiberg stated that Oklahoma State’s goal is to “be in a position to move,” on a hire by the close of the regular season on Nov. 29.

“Partly because of the runway we have on this search, we’re able to cast a fairly wide net, however we want to look at that,” Weiberg said. “We have a lot of interest in the job. I felt like we would going into it and that certainly has been confirmed. It’s a good job and it’s being perceived as a good job.”

Led by interim head coach Doug Meacham, the Cowboys have been outscored 174-74 in four consecutive losses since Gundy’s departure. Oklahoma State (1-6) visits No. 14 Texas Tech on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPNU) searching for its first win since Week 1.