By Adeniyi Precious 
Curtis Lofton, who’s been the Oklahoma Sooners’ football GM for less than a year, is stepping down from his position to pursue a career in ministry. He announced the decision on Facebook, saying he’ll be leaving on Feb. 1 but didn’t dive into specifics about his plans.
Lofton, a former linebacker for OU and in the NFL, took on the GM role last year, where he helped with recruitment, managing the roster, and guiding players on NIL matters. Before that, he worked as the Director of the SOUL Mission, a program aimed at helping players grow off the field.
As a standout linebacker for OU, Lofton had a successful NFL career with the Falcons, Saints, and Raiders. His former coach, Bob Stoops, expressed his support for Lofton’s new path during a radio interview.
Now, the Sooners will need to find a replacement for Lofton, alongside assistant GM Chuck Lillie, who also left recently. With the way college football is evolving with NIL and transfers, these GM positions have become more crucial, and OU will likely bring in new people to fill these roles.