Pat Fitzgerald Archives - National Football Post

Reports: Michigan State brings Pat Fitzgerald back to Big Ten

Posted on 1 December 2025 | by Field Level Media

Pat Fitzgerald is back in the Big Ten as head coach of the Michigan State Spartans after signing a five-year contract on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Fitzgerald, 50, will be formally introduced at a Tuesday press conference in East Lansing and is the third coach of the Spartans in just over two years’ time.

The Jonathan Smith era ended when he was fired Sunday after eight losses in the final nine games of the season, capping a two-year stint with the program at 4-15 because of the NCAA vacating five wins from 2024. He has more than $30 million remaining on his contract.

Fitzgerald last coached in 2022 for Northwestern. The Wildcats went 110-101 across his 17 seasons while recording a few double-digit-win campaigns and claiming a handful of bowl victories.

Fitzgerald finished his last two seasons with the program a combined 4-20 and was fired in July 2023 due to a hazing scandal that the school said included “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature.”

But the two sides reached a financial settlement in August that Fitzgerald said cleared his name. Terms were not disclosed but Fitzgerald’s attorneys called it a “satisfactory settlement.”

Fitzgerald sued Northwestern for $130 million in October 2023 claiming his employment was “unlawfully terminated” and that Northwestern damaged his reputation.

“For the past two years, 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,” Fitzgerald said in a statement in August.

Fitzgerald’s son, Ryan, is a walk-on quarterback at Iowa.

Smith took over the program in November 2023 after Mel Tucker’s firing two months prior amid sexual harassment allegations following several NCAA violations.

Michigan State began the 2025 season 3-0 but lost to then-1-4 UCLA, then-3-6 Penn State and rival Michigan in the midst of eight consecutive defeats.

The NCAA vacated all five of Michigan State’s wins from his debut 2024 season, as well as nine more wins from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, due to recruiting violations during the Tucker era.

When Smith was named Michigan State coach in 2023, he was coming off a 25-13 run over three seasons with Oregon State, where he went 34-35 overall.

–Field Level Media

Pat Fitzgerald feels ‘100% vindicated’ by Northwestern settlement

Posted on 6 November 2025 | by Field Level Media

Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald broke his long silence Thursday, telling ESPN he feels “100% vindicated” by this summer’s settlement of his wrongful termination lawsuit.

In his first public comments since he was fired in July 2023 after 17 seasons, Fitzgerald also told the “College Game Day” podcast that he is actively seeking a return to coaching.

Northwestern fired Fitzgerald following allegations of hazing in the football program. He sued the school for $130 million and settled for an undisclosed amount in August.

“I feel 100% vindicated,” Fitzgerald said. “… Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to talk about other things a part of that settlement, but I feel very, very vindicated.”

Fitzgerald said he feels “very fortunate” with how he has been treated while exploring job opportunities.

“It’s been great working through this process,” he said. “There’s been conversations with a lot of folks. It’s been face-to-face, it’s been on Zoom, it’s been phone calls. (My candidacy has) been received very well.”

An All-American linebacker at Northwestern in the mid-1990s, Fitzgerald guided his alma mater to a 110-101 record with 10 bowl appearances on the sideline from 2006-22. He was the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2018.

Northwestern initially suspended Fitzgerald for two weeks during its investigation into allegations of hazing and sexual abuse made by a former player in late 2022. The school changed course and fired him a few days later.

After its settlement, Northwestern released a statement that said its investigation “did not establish that any player reported hazing to Coach Fitzgerald or that Coach Fitzgerald condoned or directed any hazing.”

Fitzgerald told the podcast he still has strong feelings toward the university.

“I love Northwestern. Unfortunately, things went the way that they went. It’s all about how you respond. If you talk to anyone that’s been around me, (my wife) Stacy and our boys the last few years. The Fitzgerald family is going to respond and respond boldly.

“It’s not been an easy road. We let the facts speaks for themselves, and we’re ready to move forward and move on.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald walks the sidelines during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Northwestern settles hazing lawsuits; Pat Fitzgerald’s suit continues

Posted on 8 April 2025 | by Field Level Media

A group of football players agreed to settle its lawsuits against Northwestern that concerned allegations of hazing and abusive behavior under previous coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Per Bloomberg News, “master settlement agreements” were signed but the final documentation was still being finalized. The group of plaintiffs, believed to total 25, will drop their claims against both Northwestern and Fitzgerald, who was fired in July 2023.

Fitzgerald’s attorneys confirmed the settlement in a statement released to news outlets. However, their client is still pursuing wrongful termination action against Northwestern.

“He continues to assert that Northwestern illegally terminated his employment, violated an oral contract and defamed him, causing significant damage to his sterling reputation,” attorneys Dan K. Webb and Matthew R. Carter wrote in a statement.

“(Monday), Northwestern tried to postpone the trial of Coach Fitzgerald’s claims by nearly five months. The Court denied that motion and Coach Fitzgerald’s trial will take place on November 3, 2025. He looks forward to having his day in court, where he expects a jury will hold Northwestern and President (Michael) Schill accountable for the extreme harm done to his personal and professional reputation.”

A former Northwestern player accused hazing within the program in November 2022, but the university investigated and did not find evidence that Fitzgerald or his assistants knew about the hazing.

Fitzgerald was given a two-week suspension the following July, which prompted a letter signed by Northwestern players defending their coach, calling the allegations “exaggerated and twisted.” Then three former players came forward to the student newspaper accusing Fitzgerald of racist remarks, and Northwestern decided to fire Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald — a star linebacker at the university who is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and coached the Wildcats from 2006-22 — filed suit against Northwestern later in 2023 claiming there was a verbal agreement from Schill that Fitzgerald would face no more punishment besides the initial two-week suspension.

Fitzgerald’s attorneys said in Tuesday’s statement that there is no evidence supporting the claims against Fitzgerald after an extensive discovery period.

“As previously stated,” they wrote, “Coach Fitzgerald committed no wrongdoing.”

–Field Level Media

Pat Fitzgerald sues Northwestern, alleges wrongful termination

Posted on 5 October 2023 | by Field Level Media

Ousted Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald, fired amid a hazing investigation, is seeking more than $130 million in a lawsuit filed Thursday.

The suit, filed in Cook County, Ill., names the university and its president as defendants. Fitzgerald contends the school wrongfully fired him for cause, defamed him and intentionally caused emotional distress.

Fitzgerald, a Northwestern alum, wants to be paid the $68 million remaining on his contract, which was due to expire before the 2031 season. He also wants millions for future earnings, contending he won’t be able to find a similar job.

By firing Fitzgerald for cause, the university contends his contract is null and void.

“If there was ever an athletic coach at Northwestern University that should not have been terminated, it was Coach Fitzgerald,” said his attorney, Dan Webb. He contended in a news conference Thursday that the school had ruined Fitzgerald’s reputation without evidence.

Northwestern president Michael Schill said in July that an independent investigation found hazing allegations were “largely supported by evidence.”

The firing came after a player came forward to the student newspaper, the Daily Northwestern, and revealed that some of the alleged hazing included coerced sexual acts. Fitzgerald is also accused of presiding over a “culture of enabling racism.”

In a statement, per USA Today, the school said Fitzgerald “had the responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and to stop it” but didn’t.

“The safety of our students remains our highest priority, and we deeply regret that any student-athletes experienced hazing,” the school said in part of the statement. “We remain confident that the University acted appropriately in terminating Fitzgerald and we will vigorously defend our position in court.”

Schill suspended and later fired Fitzgerald following the investigations.

At least 13 players have sued the school, describing acts that allegedly took place, including “naked” events. Fitzgerald has been named as a defendant in six of the lawsuits.

Fitzgerald, 48, coached Northwestern from 2006-22, going 110-101 during his tenure. The Wildcats were 5-5 in bowl games.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald leads his team on the field against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Northwestern alums: School didn’t follow ‘due process’ in Pat Fitzgerald case

Posted on 21 August 2023 | by Field Level Media

Northwestern administrators failed to give football coach Pat Fitzgerald his “due process” before firing him and tarnished his “legacy and character,” a group of former athletes at the school charged Monday in an open letter.

ESPN obtained the letter, signed by 86 people, including some who were teammates of Fitzgerald when he played for the Wildcats. Per ESPN, the letter states that campus president Michael Schill and athletic director Derrick Gragg both had “a clear failure of unbiased and principled leadership” and should be ousted if they don’t “positively support our athletic programs with due process” and also release results of a campus investigation.

Fitzgerald was terminated July 10 following allegations of hazing and other abuse in the program. Fitzgerald has denied knowing about any wrongdoing.

A university investigation completed before Fitzgerald was fired showed a hazing allegation likely could be proved but could not determine that Fitzgerald or his staff were aware of just what went on in the program.

“We share Northwestern University administration’s deep concern over the possibility that any student-athlete has been harmed by sexual harassment, hazing, or racism while at Northwestern University,” the letter reads, but added that without a proper investigation, no one should be presumed guilty.

The way administrators handled the situation could leave staff members vulnerable to future allegations that could be unsubstantiated, and Fitzgerald already has been harmed, per the letter.

“By willfully ignoring due process, Northwestern University’s administration has left a welcome mat out for the weaponization of sexual harassment, hazing, and racism accusations to run rampant at Northwestern University,” the letter reads. “Any allegation, true or not, will be allowed to cancel anyone’s career and destroy their reputation depending upon popular opinion, while simultaneously allowing the censorship of free speech. The collective gains of Northwestern’s Athletic Department over the last three decades, along with Pat Fitzgerald’s legacy and character, have almost been wiped out without any proof of guilt or, much less, even a thorough and proper investigation.”

Allegations of hazing and mistreatment have spread to other sports programs at Northwestern, and the school has brought in former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to lead an investigation into the athletic culture at the school.

In the letter Monday, the former athletes said they were not in favor of Lynch’s role in the investigation, citing “political controversies surrounding her history and reputation.”

Northwestern has not yet commented on the letter.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald looks on during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to become HS assistant

Posted on 17 August 2023 | by Field Level Media

Former Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald is set to become a volunteer assistant coach at a Chicago-area private high school, The Record North Shore reported.

Fitzgerald, who was fired at Northwestern on July 10 following allegations of hazing within his football program, now will spend his time working within the football program at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Ill., a mere 6 miles from the Northwestern campus.

Two of Fitzgerald’s children attend Loyola Academy, while a third child, son Jack, graduated from the school and became a walk-on tight end for the Wildcats.

Fitzgerald’s Northwestern teams went 110-101 in 18 seasons as he became the winningest coach in the program’s history.

The 48-year-old reportedly went through sensitivity training and a background check and signed a code of conduct as is required of all Loyola Academy parent volunteers.

A Northwestern investigation ruled that there was not enough evidence to determine that Fitzgerald was aware of hazing within the program. The university hired Loretta Lynch, the former U.S. attorney general, to conduct an independent review of its athletics programs and culture.

The Ramblers of Loyola Academy are the reigning state Class 8A champions, the top division in Illinois.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, US; ACC commissioner James Phillips addresses the media during the ACC Men s Basketball Tip-Off in Charlotte, NC. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

ACC commish: Never condoned hazing as Northwestern AD

Posted on 21 July 2023 | by Field Level Media

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips denied that he tolerated hazing while serving as athletic director at Northwestern from 2008 to 2021.

Northwestern is reeling from the termination of head football coach Pat Fitzgerald and the firing of head baseball coach Jim Foster earlier this month. Fitzgerald was let go after an internal investigation found hazing to be widespread in the football program, and an anonymous former player told the student newspaper that Fitzgerald may have known it was taking place.

Since Fitzgerald’s firing, three lawsuits have been levied against the school alleging Fitzgerald and other leaders were negligent in their duty to protect student-athletes. Two of the three John Doe complaints name Phillips as a defendant.

“This has been a difficult time for the Northwestern University community, a place that my entire family called home,” Phillips said in a statement Thursday. “Over my thirty-year career in intercollegiate athletics, my highest priority has always been the health and safety of all student-athletes. Hazing is completely unacceptable anywhere, and my heart goes out to anyone who carries the burden of having been mistreated.

“Any allegation that I ever condoned or tolerated inappropriate conduct against student-athletes is absolutely false. I will vigorously defend myself against any suggestion to the contrary.”

Phillips became the commissioner of the ACC in 2021 after 13 years at Northwestern, overlapping with most of Fitzgerald’s tenure as head coach. A former star player at the school, Fitzgerald had been head coach since 2006.

–Field Level Media

David Braun officially named interim head coach at Northwestern

Posted on 14 July 2023 | by Field Level Media

Northwestern made official the promotion of first-year defensive coordinator David Braun to interim head coach on Friday.

He replaces Pat Fitzgerald, who was fired Monday with $42 million remaining on his contract after university officials concluded an independent investigation that found hazing allegations within the program were “largely supported by evidence.”

Braun, who has no head coaching experience and is new to the FBS level, was promoted for the 2023 season.

“The opportunity to lead this team at this crucial moment in its history is not something I take lightly, and I’m grateful for the trust placed in me by (athletic director Derrick) Gragg and Northwestern leadership,” Braun said in a news release. “Our focus today and every day moving forward is on supporting these men, many of whom have only been on campus for several weeks, in their preparation for the 2023 football season and the 2023-24 academic year.”

Braun was hired in January after working as the defensive coordinator at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State from 2019-22. The Bison won two FCS national championships (2019, 2021) and two Missouri Valley Football Conference crowns in his first three seasons, and they boasted the country’s No. 1 scoring defense both title years.

A graduate of Winona State graduate and a former defensive lineman there, Braun also was an assistant coach at NAIA program Culver-Stockton (2010), Division II Winona State (2011-14) and FCS program UC Davis (2015-16). He spent two seasons at Northern Iowa before accepting the position at North Dakota State.

Braun will make his coaching debut Sept. 3 at Rutgers.

The Wildcats are coming off a 1-11 season in 2022, following a 3-9 campaign in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Reports: Northwestern fires coach Pat Fitzgerald

Posted on 10 July 2023 | by Field Level Media

Northwestern fired football coach Pat Fitzgerald on Monday, several media outlets reported, amid continued fallout of a controversy surrounding alleged hazing within the program.

The decision comes three days after Fitzgerald received a two-week suspension without pay following an independent investigation that found hazing allegations were “largely supported by evidence.”

A player then came forward to the student newspaper, the Daily Northwestern, and revealed that some of the hazing included coerced sexual acts. Fitzgerald is also accused of presiding over a culture of racism.

University president Michael Schill wrote a letter to the Northwestern community Saturday night admitting that the school “may have erred” in the severity of its discipline.

Northwestern had not yet confirmed the reports or announced an interim coach.

–Field Level Media

Northwestern president: ‘May have erred’ in Pat Fitzgerald punishment

Posted on 9 July 2023 | by Field Level Media

A day after Northwestern announced a two-week suspension for football coach Pat Fitzgerald for hazing allegations, the university president issued a second statement suggesting that the school “may have erred” in the severity of its discipline.

Late Saturday, university president Michael Schill sent a letter to the Northwestern community that he and the school perhaps hadn’t gone far enough in suspended the longtime face of the program for two weeks without pay.

“In determining an appropriate penalty for the head coach, I focused too much on what the report concluded he didn’t know and not enough on what he should have known,” the letter said in part. “As the head coach of one of our athletics programs, coach Fitzgerald is not only responsible for what happens within the program but also must take great care to uphold our institutional commitment to the student experience.

“Clearly, he failed to uphold that commitment, and I failed to sufficiently consider that failure in levying a sanction.”

Schill said that he had a change of heart after speaking with the family of the former player who had originally made the allegations of wrongdoing. ESPN reported that the player and school spoke directly on Sunday as well.

A new punishment will be considered among the Northwestern board of trustees and other university leaders. Fitzgerald’s initial suspension began Friday.

Fitzgerald, 48, has been the head coach of the Big Ten program since 2006 and was previously a two-time consensus All-American linebacker for the school.

The university received a complaint in late November alleging instances of hazing that occurred inside the team’s locker room and at an off-campus practice in Kenosha, Wis. Investigators spoke with more than 50 people currently or previously affiliated with the program and reviewed emails and player survey data dating back to 2014, per the executive summary of the probe.

“The investigation team determined that the complainant’s claims were largely supported by the evidence gathered during the investigation, including separate and consistent first-person accounts from current and former players,” per the summary.

“While the investigation did not uncover evidence pointing to specific misconduct by any individual football player or coach, participation in or knowledge of the hazing activities was widespread across football players.”

“I was very disappointed when I heard about the allegations of hazing on our football team,” Fitzgerald said. “Although I was not aware of the alleged incidents, I have spoken to University officials, and they informed me of a two-week suspension, effective immediately.

“Northwestern football prides itself on producing not just athletes, but fine young men with character befitting the program and our University. We hold our student-athletes and our program to the highest standards; we will continue to work to exceed those standards moving forward.”

A statement from a collective of current players released Saturday night called into question the validity of the accusations.

“It is disheartening to see that the allegations brought forth against our team have been exaggerated and twisted into lies. These fabrications have been made with the intention of harming our program and tarnish the reputation of our dedicated players and coaching staff,” the players’ statement said. “We firmly deny the validity of these accusations and stand united in our assertion that they do not reflect the true character of our team.”

In addition to Fitzgerald’s suspension, Northwestern also originally announced a discontinuation of football practices at “Camp Kenosha” and an independent monitor being assigned to the team among several changes aimed at providing better oversight.

The Wildcats are coming off a 1-11 record in 2022. They will open the 2023 season at Rutgers on Sept. 3.

Fitzgerald is 110-101 with 10 bowl appearances (5-5 record) in 17 seasons as the head coach at his alma mater.

–Field Level Media