Northwestern reaches settlement with football coach who was fired amid hazing scandal
CHICAGO (AP) — Northwestern University has reached a settlement with former longtime football coach Pat Fitzgerald two years after he sued the prestigious school amid a team hazing scandal, attorneys and the school announced Thursday.
“Though I maintain Northwestern had no legal basis to terminate my employment for cause under the terms of my Employment Agreement, in the interest of resolving this matter and, in particular, to relieve my family from the stress of ongoing litigation, Northwestern and I have agreed to a settlement,” Fitzgerald said in a statement through his attorneys.
Details of the settlement weren’t made public.
The private university in the Chicago suburb of Evanston has been reeling from the scandal that rocked the athletic department. Former football players filed the first lawsuits in 2023, alleging sexual abuse and racial discrimination on the team. Similar allegations then spread across several sports.
Fitzgerald was initially suspended then later fired after an investigation. The school concluded that he had a responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and should have stopped it.
Fitzgerald denied wrongdoing and sued for $130 million. He alleged the school illegally terminated his employment and damaged his reputation, among other things. His case was set to go to trial in November.
Last year, a judge consolidated his complaint and the student lawsuits for the discovery process. Dozens of students provided testimony that was used for both cases. The school settled lawsuits brought by former football players earlier this year.
Fitzgerald said Thursday that the “rush to judgement” following the lawsuits caused his family stress, embarrassment and reputational harm.
“I have engaged in a process of extensive fact and expert discovery, which showed what I have known and said all along — that I had no knowledge of hazing ever occurring in the Northwestern football program, and that I never directed or encouraged hazing in any way,” he said.
On Thursday, Northwestern echoed the same sentiment.
“The evidence uncovered during extensive discovery did not establish that any player reported hazing to Coach Fitzgerald or that Coach Fitzgerald condoned or directed any hazing,” the university said in a statement. “When presented with the details of the conduct, he was incredibly upset and saddened by the negative impact this conduct had on players within the program.”
Northwestern hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch in July 2023 to lead an investigation into the culture of the school’s athletic department. The school says it has since taken steps to improve, including adding more anti-hazing training requirements for athletes and additional steps to report hazing.
By SOPHIA TAREEN
Associated Press
