Pat Hobbs cites health concerns for resignation from Rutgers

On Friday afternoon, it was revealed that Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs abruptly resigned, and Ryan Pisarri will serve as the Scarlet Knights’ interim athletic director.

Now, the reason for the surprising turn of events has come to light, with Hobbs citing health concerns as his reason for resigning, per Brian Fonseca of NJ Advance Media, as the now-former Rutgers AD stated his decision was made following a meeting with his “cardiac team this week, having just been apprised of the results of my latest round of testing.”

It was part of an email where Hobbs announced his decision to the athletic department, which was obtained by NJ Advance Media.

“Earlier this morning, I shared with (Rutgers University President) Jonathan (Holloway) that I am departing my position as Athletic Director at Rutgers University,” Hobbs wrote, per Fonseca. “I truly believe we are writing the greatest chapter in Rutgers history and I am confident that you will continue to do so. 

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you. I look forward to enjoying all your success this season and in the years ahead.”

Moreover, Hobbs has been the school’s athletic director since November 2015. He’s helped with the program’s transition into the Big Ten, which has seen its fair share of bumps in the road throughout the last decade, but the future remains bright.

On the football field, Hobbs didn’t start his tenure off with a bang, as Rutgers’ hire of Chris Ash couldn’t have gone more disastrous. However, the return of Greg Schiano has restored some faith, with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit going as far as to call them a dark-horse College Football Playoff contender in 2024.

“It’s weird, you think about the Big Ten, obviously, what is there now, 18 teams? You go down your list, a lot of it comes down to the schedule,” Herbstreit said, via The Pat McAfee Show. “Someone is going to come out of that conference that you really didn’t expect, whether that’s an Iowa, whether that’s a — who knows with (five-star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola) at Nebraska. Whoever has the most manageable schedule. 

“Rutgers has a schedule that’s, by Big Ten standards and this Big Ten world that we’re in, they can make a little bit of a run.”

Elsewhere, Hobbs’ hire of Steve Pikiell for the Scarlet Knights’ men’s basketball program has completely turned things around, and after having one of the top recruiting classes in the country this past year, Rutgers seems primed to make a run in March. 

Moving forward, Pat Hobbs will be watching and cheering them on from the sidelines, as his tenure falls just short of a decade with the university, after he surprisingly announced his resignation on Friday, citing health as his reason for doing so.