Adam Widman joined UCF as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Brand Communications in May 2024. He brings more than 20 years of high-level communications experience to UCF athletics, including five years in the NFL and more than a decade at two Big Ten institutions.
“Adam stood out among the many qualified candidates we interviewed with his experience, knowledge and passion for college athletics,” Mohajir said. “He is a dynamic, well-rounded leader who will bring a unique and versatile set of skills and ideas to our department as we head into this new era of college athletics with a focus on player brands and communication to the public. We are excited to have him join the UCF family.”
Widman oversees the strategic communications team and serves as the primary point of contact for all executive-level communications, including Vice President & Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir and football head coach Gus Malzahn. He will also oversee strategic messaging plans to maximize brand awareness and organizational initiatives while also serving as liaison with university communications.
“I cannot express how thankful and excited I am to join the talented team here UCF,” Widman said. “I want to thank Terry Mohajir, Gus Malzahn and Chief Branding Officer Jimmy Skiles for this tremendous opportunity. My family and I are excited to get down to Orlando.”
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Widman comes to UCF from Chicago where he served as Director of Football Communications for the Chicago Bears from 2017-2022. There he consistently worked with high-profile players, coaches and executives daily on media management and preparation for weekly and postgame interviews. He and his staff managed the Chicago media and developed communications strategies for club initiatives, helping to strengthen the organization’s brand and highlight human interest stories off the field.
Widman also oversaw the editing of the 400-page media guide, its weekly 200-page game release, the @BearsPR public relations Twitter/X account and all content on its media web portal. He also worked with network TV partners (CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, NFLN) each week while also coordinating yearly media day content shoots.
Prior to his arrival at the Bears, Widman spent nearly 10 years at his alma mater, The Ohio State University, where he served as Associate Director of Athletics Communications from 2007-2017. While in Columbus he served as the top communications assistant for the football program while also working with the women’s basketball, track and field and women’s lacrosse teams. Overall, Widman assisted with Ohio State’s communications efforts at four BCS bowl games, the 2014 and 2016 College Football Playoff (CFP), two national championship games, two Big Ten football championship games and the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in New Orleans. Widman also twice served as the media coordinator for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament first and second rounds in Columbus.
Also during his time at Ohio State, Widman assisted the football director of operations and player personnel director with recruiting efforts and ran point on the team’s weekly media release. In addition, he managed a communications staff that worked with more than 1,000 student-athletes for 36 varsity sports and also oversaw all press box and game day responsibilities.
Prior to Ohio State, Widman worked for two years at Northwestern University as Associate Director of Athletics Communications, heading up the PR efforts for the men’s basketball, men’s soccer and its nationally ranked women’s lacrosse team, where he was a part of two NCAA national championships in 2006 and 2007.
Widman’s first full-time job came at Kent State University from 2003-05 where he served as an Assistant Director of Athletics Communications for the women’s basketball, baseball and field hockey teams.
Widman spent the past year in 2023-24 working in corporate PR for Advocate Health Care in Chicago where he headed up all brand communications for its corporate sports sponsors, which included the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers.
An avid Cleveland sports fan, Widman is a graduate of Ohio State where he received his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He and his wife, Emily, have two sons, Mason (4) and Logan (1), and a dog, Tucker.