UCLA fires athletic director Martin Jarmond, pays $6.5 million buyout

UCLA fired Athletic Director Martin Jarmond on Monday, September 1, 2026, and paid him $6.5 million to exit, citing a significant financial deficit in the athletic department. Jarmond's departure arrives days before new football head coach Bob Chesney takes the field and follows a cascade of expensive leadership turnover under Jarmond's watch.

Jarmond arrived at UCLA from Boston College in 2020 and oversaw major decisions including the Bruins' departure from the Pac-12 and move to the Big Ten in August 2024. He hired former player DeShaun Foster as football head coach, but Foster went 5-10 in a short tenure and was fired after an 0-3 start this season. Foster's exit carried a buyout that was slightly larger than Jarmond's, according to CBS Sports.

In total, UCLA has dedicated over $12 million to buyouts for Foster and Jarmond over the past year. Jarmond was also responsible for the departure of previous head coach Chip Kelly in 2024 before replacing him with Foster. Before his firing, Jarmond landed new football head coach Bob Chesney and basketball recruit Nikola Kusturica, signaling some positive outcomes during his tenure, according to the reporting.

Jarmond's $6.5 million represents the remaining balance owed on his contract. The university did not name an interim or permanent replacement athletic director at the time of the announcement. The specific financial mismanagement or operational failures beyond the stated deficit have not been detailed in available reporting.