Ex-Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald sues university for wrongful termination due to hazing scandal

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Former Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university and its president, Michael Schill, Thursday. 

Fitzgerald is seeking more than $130 million for reputational and punitive damages and lost earnings from his firing after a two-week suspension following a hazing investigation into his program. The amount includes the $68 million that was still on his contract and $62 million in future earnings losses. Fitzgerald alleges Northwestern unlawfully fired him for cause July 10. 

Northwestern commissioned attorney Maggie Hickey to lead an investigation into hazing claims from a former player. 

Hickey found the claims were corroborated, though there was insufficient evidence that Fitzgerald, along with his coaching staff, had knowledge of the incidents. 

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Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald during a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker/USA Today Sports)

"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 U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Fitzgerald’s attorney in the lawsuit, per ESPN. 

"It's despicable conduct on behalf of Northwestern. My client and his family are entitled to their day in court for justice."

Webb added that Fitzgerald and Northwestern reached an "oral agreement" he would face no further discipline beyond his two-week suspension from the university. 

Several former Northwestern players filed lawsuits against the university, alleging they were victims of hazing, and some named Fitzgerald and Schill as defendants.  

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Webb conducted his own interviews with former Northwestern players and coaches, and he found no "significant hazing occurred" within Fitzgerald’s program. He did note, however, that new evidence could come out during a trial. Webb never received Hickey’s report from the university’s investigation.  

Webb wasn’t allowed to talk to current Northwestern players or coaches due to him suing the university. However, he does expect to call them as witnesses at trial, per ESPN. 

Pat Fitzgerald, head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats, speaks during Big Ten Football media days at Lucas Oil Stadium July 22, 2021, in Indianapolis. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

"They’re going to say they didn’t see any significant hazing other than horseplay between young men in the locker room," Webb said based on interviews he’s had with the former coaches and players. 

The whistleblower who came forward in November 2022 sparking the hazing investigation into Northwestern’s program "had a grudge against" Fitzgerald, Webb says. ESPN learned in July a player on the team was told by the whistleblower that he had a "detailed plan" with the objective of taking down Fitzgerald. 

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Northwestern responded to the lawsuit from Fitzgerald, referring to the Hickey Report in which players admitted to investigators that hazing occurred, which included "forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature." The university also pointed to the multiple lawsuits that remain open against Northwestern, Fitzgerald and Schill, with more than a dozen former football players included. 

Fitzgerald’s lawsuit also claims no players or coaches ever came to him with hazing allegations. So, when told about the university claiming Fitzgerald should have known what was occurring, Webb said, "That’s a ridiculous allegation not supported by any evidence whatsoever." 

Schill addressed the Northwestern community in a letter when he fired Fitzgerald.  

Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald walks the sidelines during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. (Marc Lebryk/USA Today Sports)

"The decision comes after a difficult and complex evaluation of my original discipline decision imposed last week on Coach Fitzgerald for his failure to know and prevent significant hazing in the football program," Schill’s letter at the time of Fitzgerald’s firing said. 

"Over the last 72 hours, I have spent a great deal of time in thought and in discussions with people who love our University — the Chair and members of our Board of Trustees, faculty leadership, students, alumni and Coach Fitzgerald himself."

Fitzgerald has since taken a role as a parent volunteer for the Loyola Academy football team, which was first reported by Record North Shore. The high school outside Chicago is where two of Fitzgerald’s sons are enrolled. 

Fitzgerald was required to undergo a background check and sign a mandatory code of conduct to volunteer. 

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He was the winningest head coach in the university’s history with an overall record of 110-101 over 17 seasons with the Wildcats. Fitzgerald was also a legendary player with the program, earning national defensive player of the year honors twice in a Wildcats uniform.