Michigan Wolverines athletics has spent years collecting trophies while controversy kept crashing through the front door. Now athletic director Warde Manuel may be approaching the moment when winning is no longer enough to protect the person in charge.

Multiple reports indicate Manuel’s future could be discussed Thursday when the University of Michigan Board of Regents meets in Traverse City. The board’s official schedule confirms a July 16 meeting, although the agenda remains pending. Regents are reportedly expected to review findings from the Jenner & Block investigation into the culture, leadership and procedures inside Michigan athletics.

READ MORE: Ohio State Buckeyes’ 2026 Win Total Feels Like a Trap

Manuel, a former Michigan defensive lineman, has led the athletic department since January 2016. CBS Sports reported that the 58-year-old administrator is considering several possibilities, including retirement, as questions grow about whether he’ll remain in the position.

That would represent a stunning reversal from December 2024, when Michigan extended Manuel’s contract through June 2030. His deal reportedly includes a $1.9 million annual base salary and 36 months of severance if the university dismisses him without cause.

The investigation was launched following the downfall of former football coach Sherrone Moore, but university president Domenico Grasso later widened its scope to include an “independent evaluation of culture, conduct and procedures” throughout the athletic department.

Michigan’s bill for the Jenner & Block investigation has climbed to nearly $12 million. The university has also faced mounting pressure to release records connected to the probe, including a lawsuit filed by Moore’s former executive assistant, Paige Shiver, accusing Michigan of improperly denying public-records requests.

Moore was fired for cause in December 2025 after Michigan determined he had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Shiver. He later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device stemming from a confrontation at her apartment. Moore received 18 months of probation, a fine exceeding $1,000 and an order barring him from contacting Shiver. More serious charges, including felony home invasion, were dismissed through the plea agreement.

Moore’s scandal wasn’t Michigan’s first institutional fire under Manuel. The Connor Stalions sign-stealing operation engulfed the football program following its 2023 national championship season, while former assistant coach Matt Weiss has pleaded not guilty to federal computer-access and identity-theft charges.

Manuel hasn’t been accused of participating in those cases. But athletic directors don’t only get evaluated on what they personally did. They’re judged on what happened inside the department, what leadership knew and whether warning signs were ignored.

READ MORE: Haeran Ryu Wins Evian in Playoff Thriller

In May, Manuel said, “I always aim for steadiness,” while acknowledging the repeated turbulence surrounding Michigan athletics.

There’s no questioning the scoreboard. Michigan teams have won national championships in women’s gymnastics, football, men’s gymnastics and men’s basketball during Manuel’s tenure.

The board’s decision, however, may come down to something more uncomfortable than banners.

Winning bought Warde Manuel credibility. It may not buy him absolution