Report: Michigan State AD Alan Haller fired after three years

Michigan State has parted ways with athletic director Alan Haller, per the Detroit Free Press. Haller became Michigan State’s AD on Sept. 1, 2021. MSU deputy athletic director and senior women’s administrator/compliance Jen Smith and MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo will serve as the school’s interim athletic directors.

Haller and Michigan State had a five-year contract, which is set to expire on Sept. 1, 2026. According to the Detroit Free Press, the two sides are in negotiations about Haller’s buyout. Michigan State president Kevin M. Guskiewicz released a statement on the school’s decision.

“I’m grateful for Alan’s leadership since I joined the university and appreciate the success our programs have seen under his leadership,” Guskiewicz said. “He is deeply committed to this university and has led with honesty and integrity.”

Alan Haller took over MSU’s athletic department in the early days of the transfer portal and NIL. It wasn’t an easy task but Haller made several massive decisions for the school during his tenure.

Perhaps most notably, Haller fired head football coach Mel Tucker in 2023 after a woman accused Tucker of committing sexual misconduct. Haller also hired current Michigan State football head coach Jonathan Smith, who led the Spartans to a 5-7 record this past season.

Haller played college football at Michigan State, where he was a three-year starter at both corner and safety. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Haller in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL Draft.

Haller retired from the NFL in 1995 and returned to East Lansing, where he became a police officer with the Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety. He served in that role for 13 years before becoming Michigan State’s associate athletics director for administration in 2010.

As MSU athletic director, Haller had a base salary of $800,000 per year, with a $100,000 continuity bonus and other incentive opportunities. Haller’s official last day will be on May 11.

“Guskiewicz said he will seek a new athletic director who can best navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics while working closely with both internal and external stakeholders to move Michigan State forward as a leader among the Power Four institutions,” the university’s press release read.

It’ll be a pivotal hire for Michigan State. With the House vs. NCAA lawsuit expected to reach a conclusion within the coming weeks, the Spartans’ next athletic director will be leading the school through an unprecedented era in college athletics.