The Big Ten announced on Tuesday that Kevin Warren, the chief operating officer of the Minnesota Vikings, will become the conference's new commissioner.
Warren, 55, was the first African-American COO of an NFL team when the Vikings hired him in 2015. According to the team's website, he has played "a critical role in all business, financial, legal and operational aspects related to U.S. Bank Stadium."
He has been a part of the NFL for 20 years, including two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He is a member of the NFL's committee on workplace diversity.
Warren will become the first African-American commissioner of a Power Five conference and replaces Jim Delany, the conference's commissioner since 1989.