Patrick Pierson is in his fifth season as Illinois’ Director of Football Branding and Creative Media in 2025. Pierson oversees all branding of the program, team and recruiting content, and leads the Illini’s efforts in above the cap name, image, and likeness.

Pierson has helped elevate Illinois to new expectations since Bielema's arrival in 2021. The Illini have 28 wins and 18 Big Ten victories since 2021, highlighted by a 10-win season in 2024 that tied Illinois' single-season record for wins. In 2024, Illinois was ranked by the CFP selection committee for a program-record four straight weeks, appeared in 12 AP Top 25 polls, and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 21-17, in one of the top bowl game victories in Illinois history. Illinois finished ranked #16 in the AP Top 25 poll.

Pierson has helped bring the Fighting Illini program back to national relevance with continued appearances in the AP Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings, two New Year’s Bowls, three national award finalists, and 11 NFL Draft picks since 2021. Illinois has had three national award finalists and seven top-100 draft picks since Bielema's arrival. Jer'Zhan Newton (2023, Nagurski), Chase Brown (2022, Doak), and Devon Witherspoon (2022, Thorpe) gave Illinois three finalists in National College Football Awards Association awards over a two-year span for the first time since 1994-95, while Illinois is one of five schools with three or more players drafted in the first three rounds in the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts, along with Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Penn State. 

Illinois has seen huge improvements in recruiting results since Pierson's arrival in Champaign. The three-year stretch of recruiting from 2022-24 was Illinois' best since 2007-09 according to 247Sports and Rivals, as Illinois has signed three straight top-50 classes for the first time in 15 years. The 2023 class was Illinois' highest-ranked class since 2009 according to Rivals and highest ranked since 2011 according to 247Sports, then in 2024 Illinois was one of only six Big Ten teams to add three four-star recruits out of the transfer portal. The Illini also signed back-to-back Illinois Gatorade Players of the Year (WR Hank Beatty, RB Kaden Feagin) for the first time in program history in 2022 and 2023.

Pierson came to Champaign from Oregon, where he was Associate AD/Communications for the Ducks from 2018-20. Pierson was the main media contact for the Oregon football team that won back-to-back Pac-12 titles and the 2020 Rose Bowl while managing a communications staff of six that promoted Oregon’s 20 athletic programs. 

Prior to Oregon, Pierson was the Assistant AD/Communications at Arkansas from 2015-18, when he worked with current Illinois head coach Bret Bielema. He started at Arkansas as the Director of Men’s Basketball Communications from 2013-15 before transitioning to lead the football team’s communications efforts and oversee the athletic department’s communications office. 

Pierson moved to Arkansas from Florida Gulf Coast, where he was the primary communications contact for the 2012-13 FGCU men’s basketball team that made a run to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen under the famous #DunkCity branding to become the first No. 15 seed in NCAA history to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. He was named the school’s Director of Sports Information in 2010 before being promoted to Assistant AD for Communications in 2012. 

Pierson was the main basketball contact and Sports Information Director at St. Bonaventure University from 2007-10. He started his career in college athletics as Assistant Sports Information Director for the Bonnies from 2004-07. 

Pierson graduated from Robert Morris University in 2004 with a degree in sport management. 

He and his wife, Sarah, reside in Savoy, Illinois.