Gregg Popovich announced on Friday that he would be stepping down as the San Antonio Spurs head coach following 29 years in the role. He will transition into becoming the organization's president while Mitch Johnson will take over as coach.
On Monday, Popovich introduced Johnson as the Spurs' new coach in a press conference. He showed up in a pretty iconic shirt to detail what his new role will be with the Spurs, too.
Popovich started to take off his jacket at the podium to reveal a shirt that read "El Jefe," meaning "The Boss" in Spanish.
"I'm no longer coach. I'm El Jefe."
"I'm no longer coach. I'm El Jefe."
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 5, 2025
Gregg Popovich 😂 pic.twitter.com/AxVxqKTqzX
What an awesome way for him to establish himself in his new role as team president.
Popovich ended up stepping down as coach since he had been sidelined since November after suffering a mild stroke. In February it was announced that he would not return to the team this season. With all that time off of the court, Popovich decided it was time to officially step down as coach.
The 76-year-old remained a constant presence with the Spurs even when he was sidelined this season. While Johnson was the interim coach, Popovich helped advise the team through phone calls. Popovich was even at the Spurs' facility just last week. Now, he will remain with the team to help advance them as the president.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Gregg Popovich Wears Iconic Shirt to Announce His New Role With Spurs.
