Northwestern Settling Hazing Lawsuits As Fitzgerald Case Continues

Northwestern University is finalizing a lawsuit settlement with a group of former football players over hazing allegations. 

The allegations led to the firing of longtime football coach and alum Pat Fitzgerald. As of May 2024, the lawsuits stem from dozens of former players across multiple years. 

“Northwestern and the student plaintiffs recently engaged in a mediation process that resulted in the settlement of the student plaintiffs’ claims,” the university said in a statement Monday. “The settlement documentation is currently being finalized.”

The stream of lawsuits started in July 2023 when a former player—whose four-year career ended in 2022—sued Fitzgerald, athletic director Derrick Gragg, and university president Michael Schill, among others, alleging that they and the school’s board of trustees had enabled and covered up sexual misconduct and racial discrimination. The plaintiffs were seeking more than $50,000 in damages. 

Fitzgerald was suspended July 7, 2023, after an investigation by Schill conducted by an external law firm confirmed hazing allegations made by a player the previous fall that claimed freshman players were physically and sexually assaulted over their performance. The investigation found there wasn’t “sufficient” evidence that Fitzgerald was aware of the hazing rituals, but Schill said he “should have known.” Fitzgerald was fired three days after being suspended. He had coached the Wildcats since 2006.

Three months after his firing, Fitzgerald sued Northwestern for wrongful termination seeking $130 million: $68 million from a 10-year contract extension he signed two years earlier and $62 million in future lost income. The news of the pending settlements broke in a motion from Northwestern in Fitzgerald’s suit.

“As previously stated, Coach Fitzgerald committed no wrongdoing,” Fitzgerald’s attorneys Dan Webb and Matthew Carter said in a statement Tuesday. “Despite extensive written and testimonial discovery, there remains no evidence to show or suggest that Coach Fitzgerald was aware of any hazing at Northwestern.

While Northwestern is settling the lawsuits with its former players, Fitzgerald’s suit remains ongoing. It was set to begin Monday but was delayed until November so the university could finalize its settlement with the players.

“The settlement would fully resolve the student plaintiffs’ claims against Northwestern and Fitzgerald,” the school said in its statement. “It will not, however, resolve Fitzgerald’s claims against Northwestern.”

Lawyers for the football players confirmed the “provisional” settlement” and said that the terms remain confidential.