Northwestern
The firing follows a two-week, unpaid suspension that was announced by the university on Friday
Northwestern fired coach Pat Fitzgerald on Monday following a hazing scandal, according to ESPN.
Fitzgerald previously received a two-week, unpaid suspension on Friday, after the university-led investigation into allegations made by an anonymous whistleblower.
The Daily Northwestern, the student paper, published a former player’s account of sexualized hazing activities, on Saturday.
In a statement Friday, the former coach claimed he had no prior knowledge of the incidents. Fitzgerald, a Northwestern alum who coached Northwestern since 2006, was two years into a 10-year, $57 million contract.
President Michael Schill released a statement to the university, writing that he told the former coach on Monday that “he was being relieved of his duties effective immediately,” and cited a “broken” culture in the football program.
“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,” Schill said. “I have also received many phone calls, text messages and emails from those I know, and those I don’t, sharing their thoughts.
“While I am appreciative of the feedback and considered it in my decision-making, ultimately, the decision to originally suspend Coach Fitzgerald was mine and mine alone, as is the decision to part ways with him.”