Former Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Is Suing The School For Wrongful Termination

Pat Fitzgerald, the head football coach at Northwestern, was let go in July after numerous former players disclosed information about hazing within the football program and days after an outside inquiry found that hazing was “widespread among football players.” Fitzgerald’s dismissal was revealed by university president Michael Schill in an online letter to the Northwestern community.

Former Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Is Suing The School For Wrongful Termination

Although there were “significant opportunities” to learn about the continuous hazing, the school said that the inquiry, which was started in January and was carried out by an outside law firm, did not uncover “sufficient” evidence that the coaching staff were aware of it.

The “investigation team determined that the complainant’s claims were in large part supported by the evidence gathered during the investigation, including separate and consistent first-person accounts from current and former players,” according to an executive summary made public.

The National College Players Association, which assisted the football players at Northwestern in their attempt to organize, is urging more inquiries into the claims of hazing and racism.

Fitzgerald was fired from his position after being first suspended for two weeks as the backlash against the administration grew.

In a statement to ESPN, Fitzgerald claimed he was “surprised when I learned that the president of Northwestern unilaterally revoked our agreement without any prior notification and subsequently terminated my employment,” in reference to the agreed-upon two-week suspension.

Pat Fitzgerald, the former head football coach at Northwestern, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the institution and its president, Michael Schill, on Thursday.

Fitzgerald is suing for more than $130 million in reputational and punitive damages, as well as lost wages, as a result of his termination following a two-week suspension following a hazing probe into his program. The sum comprises the $68 million remaining on his contract as well as $62 million in prospective earnings losses. Fitzgerald claims Northwestern dismissed him without reason on July 10.

“The fact that he was terminated based on no rational reasons or facts whatsoever, the fact that they’ve gone out and destroyed his reputation as one of the best football coaches in America, based on no legitimate reason or evidence, is disgraceful,” said Dan Webb, a former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Fitzgerald’s attorney in the lawsuit, according to ESPN.

“It’s despicable behaviour on Northwestern’s part.” My client and his family have the right to a day in court to seek justice.”

“We are claiming various charges against Northwestern and (University President Michael) Schill, including breaches of contract of two different contracts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, and claims for punitive damages to punish Northwestern and President Schill for the injustices that they have imposed and inflicted on Mr. Fitzgerald and his family because of the events that are set forth in the lawsuit,” said the attorney.

Northwestern University spokesperson Jon Yates told CNN on Thursday that the six-month independent inquiry proved “beyond doubt that hazing – which included nudity and sexualized acts – occurred on Fitzgerald’s watch.”

Steve Levin, an attorney representing scores of former football players who have filed hazing claims against Fitzgerald, told reporters Thursday that Fitzgerald’s lawsuit against the school will “not intimidate” his clients.

“It is so incredibly ironic – I would say it is the first time in history that someone has filed a $130 million lawsuit without any merit at all on behalf of a coach who is claiming the football players are opportunists,” Levin said. He continued, “The first opportunity they got, they made it all about money.”

 

 

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