Pat Fitzgerald.Photo:Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Northwestern University has fired its longtime football coach Pat Fitzgerald following an investigation into allegations of hazing and abuse within the school’s program.Fitzgerald, 48, was fired Monday after the school first put him on a two-week suspension without pay in response to the investigations on Friday.
A former player claimed the program had allowed widespread hazing and sexual abuse that impacted students’ physical and mental health, which led to Northwestern launching an investigation into the claims in January.
Two players then spoke withThe Daily Northwesternover the weekend, detailing the hazing and abuse younger players faced on the team, and claimed that Fitzgerald knew about — and encouraged — the hazing.
“I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and it’s just absolutely egregious and vile and inhumane behavior,” one player told the school newspaper.Fitzgerald toldESPNhe had “had no knowledge whatsoever” about the hazing and that he was “surprised” when he learned he was getting fired Monday. The school said its investigation did not find “sufficient” evidence Fitzgerald and other coaches knew about the hazing, but said there were “significant opportunities” for them to find out.
Pat Fitzgerald.Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Michael Hickey/Getty Images
“The head coach is ultimately responsible for the culture of his team,” Northwestern president Michael Schillwrote in an open letteron Monday. “The hazing we investigated was widespread and clearly not a secret within the program, providing Coach Fitzgerald with the opportunity to learn what was happening. Either way, the culture in Northwestern Football, while incredible in some ways, was broken in others.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
Pat Fitzgerald.Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Players would reportedly be chosen for “running” when another player would clap over their head, according toThe Daily Northwestern. The players who spoke with the school newspaper said Fitzgerald would make the same clapping motion during practice when a player made a mistake on the field, though he never spoke outwardly about the hazing.
“Everyone would just be looking at each other and be like ‘bro, Fitz knows about this,’ because you wouldn’t take that action otherwise,” the player said.
Fitzgerald has been Northwestern’s head coach for 17 years after previously playing for the team from 1993-96.
source: people.com
