Former Branham athletic director declines teaching reassignment, uncertain about future

Landon Jacobs: “I’m not sure what my next step is regarding other AD roles to be honest. We’ll get there soon.”

SAN JOSE — Landon Jacobs, the former Branham athletic director who was relieved of his position last month, said he did not accept a reassignment offer to teach history at Del Mar.

In a text message to the Bay Area News Group on Monday, Jacobs said the school district had given him until this past Friday to accept the position.

“I declined,” he wrote.

Jacobs was Branham’s athletic director for 14 years.

He was dismissed on March 22 because of reasons that were performance based, Jacobs said he was told.

During Jacobs’ tenure as AD, the San Jose school’s sports teams were consistently competitive, winning eight Central Coast Section and 57 league championships. 

Jacobs’ removal has rocked the Branham athletic community.

More than 1,300 people have signed a petition to reinstate the longtime administrator and hundreds of Jacobs’ supporters attended the Campbell Union High School District board meeting last week to voice their displeasure with the decision. 

Branham posted its opening for the vacant athletic director position on Friday. The current posting has the salary slated at $75,815 to $124,028 and has responsibilities that range from planning athletic events to coordinating an athletic budget.

Jacobs, who will be employed by Branham until the end of the school year, doesn’t know whether he will pursue another AD job in the near future.

“I’m not sure what my next step is regarding other AD roles to be honest,” Jacobs said. “We’ll get there soon.”