ZRG Turnkey, a prominent operation in executive search for college and professional sports, announced Tuesday the hiring of Sean Magee as Vice President in its Sports Practice. The move brings one of college football’s most respected front-office operators into the search firm space at a time when programs are navigating unprecedented roster-building and financial pressures.
Magee spent the last 15 years in high-level football operations, most recently as Senior Associate Athletic Director and General Manager at the University of Michigan. He joined the Wolverines in March 2024 and played a key role in maintaining a championship-caliber roster amid the transfer portal, NIL, and evolving conference realignment landscape. Prior to Ann Arbor, he served as Chief of Staff for the Chicago Bears (2022-23), where he advised across all football operations. Earlier stops included multiple leadership roles in Michigan Athletics and eight years as Director of Player Personnel at Navy, his alma mater.
A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former decorated Naval Officer, Magee brings a rare blend of military discipline, personnel expertise, cap management, roster finance, and fundraising savvy. Those who worked with him praise his ability to align talent strategy with on-field results in complex environments.
“College and professional football are being reshaped in real time — by revenue sharing, NIL, the transfer portal, and unprecedented financial and operational complexity,” said Chad Chatlos, Managing Partner of ZRG Turnkey. “Sean lived inside that disruption as a senior operator. He understands what it takes to build and sustain winning programs when the rules are changing, and that perspective is exactly what our clients need right now.”
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald added: “Sean Magee is an exceptionally talented professional who understands how to build championship teams. Having worked with him directly, I have seen his ability to identify elite talent, execute at a high level and align team goals.”
At ZRG Turnkey, Magee will partner closely with Chatlos on coach and general manager placements across the NFL and Power 4 conferences. He will also expand the firm’s growing advisory arm, delivering data-driven guidance on NIL collectives, revenue-sharing models, transfer portal strategy, and long-term roster construction for athletic departments.
The hire underscores ZRG Turnkey’s focus on blending deep operator experience with its global talent platform. Founded in 1996 as the first firm dedicated exclusively to sports, Turnkey has placed more than 2,000 executives and coaches, including recent national championship hires Curt Cignetti and Dusty May.
With college football’s front offices under more scrutiny than ever, programs now have access to a search consultant who has sat in the GM chair during the sport’s most turbulent era. Magee’s transition from operator to advisor could prove timely for athletic directors seeking an edge in an increasingly competitive talent marketplace.