Northwestern Hiring Cincinnati Bengals Scout as General Manager

The Wildcats are making a significant hire in their athletic department.

A Northwestern logo on a pylon before a Big Ten football game against Illinois on November 30, 2024. | Photo: Northwestern Athletics

In the emerging era of NIL and the transfer portal, college sports have become more of a business than ever before.

The changes and lack of structure in the NCAA have led many to believe that the world of collegiate sports is now much more like professional leagues. Several universities have even hired general managers to oversee athletic department finances as athletes are now compensated for their name, image and likeness.

According to ESPN Senior Writer Pete Thamel, Northwestern will be the next to change the hierarchy of its athletic department. The university is reportedly hiring Cincinnati Bengals scout Christian Sarkisian as the school's general manager, with an emphasis on the football program. Thamel reported that Sarkisian will oversee "all aspects of Northwestern's salary cap."

Sarkisian has a bachelor's degree in sports management from Miami of Ohio and a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern. His grandfather, Alex Sarkisian, played center and linebacker for the Wildcats and led the team to a Rose Bowl victory in 1949.

The former Bengals scout had been in Cincinnati since 2018, and he was previously Northwestern's assistant director of player personnel.

In a 2022 story about Sarkisian's pre-draft process with the Bengals, former Cincinnati senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner praised the scout.

"Christian is Northwestern all the way. Bleeds purple and whatever else it is," Duffner said. "He's very thorough. Very direct. He gives you the information you need."

Sarkisian and Athletic Director Mark Jackson will look to usher Northwestern into the new era of college sports, helping the athletic department as NIL and revenue sharing step to the forefront.