Twitter reactions to Mitch Barnhart stepping down from new admin position

TL;DR

Mitch Barnhart will retire as Kentucky's Athletic Director on June 30, 2026, after stepping back from a new role due to concerns about distractions. UK President Eli Capilouto confirmed the decision following social media reactions from fans and media.

Key points

Mitch Barnhart will retire as Kentucky's Athletic Director on June 30, 2026.
He will not step into a new role due to concerns about distractions.
UK President Eli Capilouto confirmed the decision.
Barnhart's proposed salary for the new position was nearly $1 million.

Mentioned in this story

University of KentuckyMitch BarnhartEli Capilouto

Outgoing Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart was honored at his retirement ceremony at the Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. Barnhart became UK's AD in 2002. March 6, 2026. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Kentucky Wildcats fans and media took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to discuss the developing news: UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart will no longer step into his new role, as he will fully depart on June 30th. Barnhart was still going to be involved with the program, with the addition of nearly a $1 million salary, so UK President Eli Capilouto decided that now is not the time for Barnhart to step into this role, as the school will head in another direction. President Capilouto released a statement on the breaking news regarding Barnhart’s future. “Mitch Barnhart came to me earlier this week to share his concern that the discussion surrounding his future role leading our sports workforce initiative has become a distraction from the work ongoing at our university.” The current UK president said. “Mitch and his family care deeply about this institution and our state, and they want the focus to return to the work that matters for our students and the Commonwealth,” Capliouto said. Overall, social media had a lot of interesting thoughts regarding Barnhart’s resignation in the new role. Check out what Kentucky fans and media had to say below.

BREAKING: University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announces via press release Mitch Barnhart will be backing out of his proposed role following the end of his time as AD.

“Mitch has informed me that he will retire from his position of Athletics Director on June 30 and… pic.twitter.com/2O8LMDwjAv

— Jenna Lifshen (@jensreporting) April 23, 2026 The @universityofky coming for their golden parachute. 🪂 pic.twitter.com/tMJZrRA0SJ

— Vinny Hardy (@VinnyHardy) April 23, 2026 The lesson of the end of Calipari and Barnhart is oddly the same (even though they weren’t friendly). When you start to be dismissive of, or ignore the fans and their concerns, it usually is the beginning of the end

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