Photo by: Ian McFarland/UO Athletics
Mullens Receives 2025 Toner Award From NFF
12/09/25 | Football, General
Oregon's director of athletics was honored Tuesday for his oversight of UO athletics, and particularly football.
LAS VEGAS — On a night when some of the biggest names in college football were honored, Oregon's athletic director had his moment in the spotlight.
Tuesday's 67th annual National Football Foundation Awards Dinner at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino saw the induction of a new College Hall of Fame class that included such names as Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Oregon's own Haloti Ngata. And it also saw UO director of athletics Rob Mullens honored with the John L. Toner Award, given annually since 1997 to an athletic director who demonstrates superior administrative abilities and shows outstanding dedication to college athletics, particularly college football.
A former chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, Mullens has overseen a UO football program that has won six conference champions, the first in the Pac-10 in 2010 and most recently the 2024 Big Ten Championship. Those were accumulated under four different head coaches as Mullens navigated UO athletics and its football team through not only coaching changes but the move to a new conference, all while sustaining success unprecedented in the history of the program.
Mullens was announced as the 2025 recipient of the John L. Toner Award in August, and was officially honored at Tuesday's NFF dinner.
"Really it's a proxy for the team success that we've had," Mullens said. "Obviously if your organization is having success, and particularly in this instance football is having success, it takes an army to execute — particularly in this day and age. So I've been fortunate to be at a place where there's incredible support, great alignment and great teammates."
The Toner Award was given in 2002 to Bill Byrne, who was athletic director at Oregon from 1984-92. The 2007 recipient was Florida's Jeremy Foley, who was in attendance to see Mullens honored Tuesday.
"Obviously I'm a bit prejudiced because he's a good friend, but he's one of the best there is," Foley said. "Honest as the day is long, incredibly smart, incredible style in terms of the way he treats people, the way he makes decisions. I know how he feels about Oregon in terms of, it's a passion for him."
Foley watched from afar over the past two years as Mullens oversaw the Ducks' move to the Big Ten.
"Making a move like that takes courage, but you can't be in a chair like that — you can't be as successful as Rob is — without having courage," Foley said. "That's one thing he doesn't lack, is that. But he's authentic, never arrogant. He's the real deal. That's why I love him."
Oregon won not only the conference's football title as first-year members in 2024-25 but seven others. And the Ducks have two already in 2025-26.
"We're very fortunate to be members of the Big Ten, obviously," Mullens said."The sea was shifting, and to be able to have this opportunity, it's been even better than we could have ever imagined."
It was bold leadership such as that which led the National Football Foundation to bestow the John L. Toner Award upon Mullens.
"Rob Mullens has established himself as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking leaders in college athletics," NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell said in announcing the honor in August. "He has guided Oregon through a remarkable era of on-field success while maintaining a steadfast commitment to academic excellence and the well-being of the Duck student-athletes.
"Under his leadership, Oregon football consistently competed at the highest levels, earning multiple New Year's Six appearances, reaching two national championship games, and producing Campbell Trophy winners in Bo Nix and Justin Herbert. His bold leadership in guiding Oregon's move to the Big Ten underscores a career that truly reflects the spirit of the John L. Toner Award."
Tuesday's 67th annual National Football Foundation Awards Dinner at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino saw the induction of a new College Hall of Fame class that included such names as Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Oregon's own Haloti Ngata. And it also saw UO director of athletics Rob Mullens honored with the John L. Toner Award, given annually since 1997 to an athletic director who demonstrates superior administrative abilities and shows outstanding dedication to college athletics, particularly college football.
A former chairman of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, Mullens has overseen a UO football program that has won six conference champions, the first in the Pac-10 in 2010 and most recently the 2024 Big Ten Championship. Those were accumulated under four different head coaches as Mullens navigated UO athletics and its football team through not only coaching changes but the move to a new conference, all while sustaining success unprecedented in the history of the program.
Mullens was announced as the 2025 recipient of the John L. Toner Award in August, and was officially honored at Tuesday's NFF dinner.
"Really it's a proxy for the team success that we've had," Mullens said. "Obviously if your organization is having success, and particularly in this instance football is having success, it takes an army to execute — particularly in this day and age. So I've been fortunate to be at a place where there's incredible support, great alignment and great teammates."
The Toner Award was given in 2002 to Bill Byrne, who was athletic director at Oregon from 1984-92. The 2007 recipient was Florida's Jeremy Foley, who was in attendance to see Mullens honored Tuesday.
"Obviously I'm a bit prejudiced because he's a good friend, but he's one of the best there is," Foley said. "Honest as the day is long, incredibly smart, incredible style in terms of the way he treats people, the way he makes decisions. I know how he feels about Oregon in terms of, it's a passion for him."
Foley watched from afar over the past two years as Mullens oversaw the Ducks' move to the Big Ten.
"Making a move like that takes courage, but you can't be in a chair like that — you can't be as successful as Rob is — without having courage," Foley said. "That's one thing he doesn't lack, is that. But he's authentic, never arrogant. He's the real deal. That's why I love him."
Oregon won not only the conference's football title as first-year members in 2024-25 but seven others. And the Ducks have two already in 2025-26.
"We're very fortunate to be members of the Big Ten, obviously," Mullens said."The sea was shifting, and to be able to have this opportunity, it's been even better than we could have ever imagined."
It was bold leadership such as that which led the National Football Foundation to bestow the John L. Toner Award upon Mullens.
"Rob Mullens has established himself as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking leaders in college athletics," NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell said in announcing the honor in August. "He has guided Oregon through a remarkable era of on-field success while maintaining a steadfast commitment to academic excellence and the well-being of the Duck student-athletes.
"Under his leadership, Oregon football consistently competed at the highest levels, earning multiple New Year's Six appearances, reaching two national championship games, and producing Campbell Trophy winners in Bo Nix and Justin Herbert. His bold leadership in guiding Oregon's move to the Big Ten underscores a career that truly reflects the spirit of the John L. Toner Award."
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