SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Takes Vicious Parting Shot At Kevin Warren, Who Left Big Ten For Chicago Bears

Greg Sankey woke up and chose violence on Saturday. Not physically, but with his words.

The 59-year-old Southeastern Conference commissioner went right for the jugular of former Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren during Georgia's CFP National Championship celebration in Athens. It was a vicious parting shot.

Warren became the sixth commissioner in Big Ten history on June 4, 2019. The conferenced persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic and expanded to 16 teams during his oversight.

Warren reportedly did not contact Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff before he poached USC and UCLA, which ruffled some feathers across the country, including Greg Sankey's. And his most recent move certainly did not help to improve the opinions of others.

Warren was announced as the next President and CEO of the Chicago Bears on January 12, 2023. The Big Ten will need to find a new commissioner after his departure.

Sankey did not like how Warren went about his exit and made that abundantly clear during a speech at Sanford Stadium. The former took direct aim at the latter while discussing the need for leaders in college sports.


We need leaders today in college football and college sports and not leaders who make a stop to build a resume and go on to do something else but those who understand the problems that are real and demand our attention.

Greg Sankey's delivery made it even more vicious.

Although nobody is perfect, and people in leadership positions are often flawed, Sankey has done a pretty great job as commissioner of the SEC since he took over in 2015. The conference is thriving in both athletics and academics, and has grown financially stronger during his tenure.

Greg Sankey is in his role for the long haul, unlike he implied was the case with Warren's quick exit.