Exclusive: Adam Weitsman weighs in on Gerry McNamara’s move to SU
In a text message to The Daily Orange, former SU booster Adam Weitsman weighed in on Gerry McNamara’s reported hiring. Daily Orange File Photo
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In the aftermath of Gerry McNamara reportedly becoming Syracuse’s next head coach, Adam Weitsman weighed in on the move in a text message to The Daily Orange:
“I am a close friend of Gerry and supported him at (Siena) after he asked,” Weitsman wrote. “He’s a great person and no one deserves this opportunity more than him. Wish him the best of luck always.”
As the Saints went from a 4-28 program before McNamara’s arrival to an NCAA Tournament team, The Times Union reported Weitsman was among the contributors to their name, image and likeness funding.
When asked if he would support the Orange if McNamara asked him to, Weitsman wrote: “I don’t want to comment on that until Gerry is in the position to discuss. I’m just really happy for him and his family. He and his wife (are) the best people.”
Here’s @AdamWeitsman weighing in on Gerry McNamara’s reported move to Syracuse in a text message to @DOsports.
Weitsman helped support Siena financially during McNamara’s tenure.
He wouldn’t comment at the moment whether he’d help support McNamara financially at SU. pic.twitter.com/N8YfeKPGbo
— Justin Girshon (@JustinGirshon) March 22, 2026
Weitsman previously provided NIL deals to SU athletes and brought celebrities to games before deciding not to do so in April 2023. He told syracuse.com at the time that Syracuse University chancellor Kent Syverud was the reason behind his departure.
“From what I understand, hearing it from sources at the university, he did not like the high-profile nature of the celebrities coming to games and the way I was going about NIL, discussing it with the media,” Weitsman told syracuse.com in 2023.
Weitsman, the CEO of Upstate Shredding, brought Tom Brady, Julian Edelman and “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon to a SU basketball game on Feb. 29, 2020. Across the next three years, he sat with a plethora of celebrities courtside at the Dome, including Pete Davidson, Odell Beckham Jr. and Allen Iverson. In 2023, he brought Damar Hamlin and Jalen Hurts to games, among others.
In September 2022, Weitsman said he would offer $1 million per year to one five-star football player and one five-star basketball player to represent his companies.
Syracuse.com reported in July 2025 that SU didn’t view Weitsman as “a major donor at Syracuse University.” The report also says that at the time of the breakup in 2023, Weitsman had reported contracts worth less than $160,000 with SU athletes.
In the three seasons since Weitsman’s breakup, the Orange tallied a 49-48 record under head coach Adrian Autry. Autry was fired on March 11 after failing to lead Syracuse to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
SU’s roster for the 2025-26 season cost just under $8 million, a source familiar with the program’s thinking, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, told The D.O. The source guessed it was seventh-to-ninth spending-wise in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Sunday that SU officials promised McNamara an NIL commitment that projects in the top third of the Atlantic Coast Conference during the hiring process.
McNamara, who spent 19 seasons at SU between playing and coaching before becoming Siena’s head coach, would be tasked with trying to snap the Orange’s five-year March Madness drought.
“He will crush it there in my opinion,” Weitsman texted The D.O.
