Northwestern University and Pat Fitzgerald have agreed to a settlement in the $130 million lawsuit filed by the former football coach. Fitzgerald claimed he was wrongly dismissed following a hazing scandal in 2023.
Upon announcing the settlement, Northwestern stated that no evidence discovered showed any football player had reported hazing to Fitzgerald, nor that he encouraged or facilitated it.
The institution further mentioned Fitzgerald’s distress upon learning of the hazing’s detrimental effects on players within the program.
This settlement concludes a protracted legal dispute sparked by accusations and lawsuits from former football players in 2023, citing sexual abuse and racial discrimination within the team.
Fitzgerald, expressing himself through his legal team, maintained his respect for Northwestern despite the prolonged ordeal and the pain it caused.
“Over the last two years, through a detailed fact and expert discovery process, it has been confirmed what I’ve consistently claimed—I was unaware of any hazing in the Northwestern football program, nor did I ever endorse or promote such behavior,” he stated.
“The rush to judgment in the media in July of 2023 and the reports that suggested I knew about and directed hazing are false and have caused me, my wife, and my three sons great stress, embarrassment, and reputational harm in the last two years.”
Fitzgerald was initially suspended for two weeks but then fired after an investigation. The school concluded that he had a responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and should have stopped it.
The former coach alleges the school illegally terminated his employment and damaged his reputation, among other things.
He alleged in his suit that he met with the school’s athletic director and general counsel, who told Fitzgerald that the school wanted him to “take a hit” for the findings in the investigation.
His lawsuit also alleged that Northwestern violated an oral contract that Fitzgerald would not face further penalties if he accepted the suspension and issued a statement supporting the program.
Last year, a judge consolidated Fitzgerald’s complaint and the student lawsuits for the discovery process.
Fitzgerald has not taken another coaching job since his firing. He started coaching at Northwestern in 2006.
The former coach led the school to a 110-101 record and by a wide margin more wins than any other coach. Northwestern won Big Ten West championships in 2018 and 2020, plus five bowl games. But the team went 4-20 over his last two seasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
