Northwestern reaches settlement with football players over hazing claims, spokesperson says
Tentative settlement reached in Northwestern hazing scandal
Dozens of players accused Northwestern University and former coach Pat Fitzgerald of allowing violent and sexual hazing incidents. But now, the university tells us it has gone through a mediation process with the players and there is a settlement.
CHICAGO - Northwestern University says it has reached a settlement with football players who accused the school and its longtime head coach of allowing violent and sexual hazing to take place within the program.
What we know:
A university spokesperson said Monday that Northwestern has gone through a mediation process with the players and reached an agreement that is expected to resolve their legal action.
While the settlement is not final — pending the completion and approval of some documents — it marks a significant development in the high-profile scandal that has plagued the school for years.
The allegations, which span nearly two decades, describe hazing that included forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts — conduct the university called a clear violation of its policies and values.
What we don't know:
Details of the settlement have not been released.
"As was reported during a recent hearing, we have entered into a provisional settlement between our former student-athlete clients and Northwestern University. While the terms of the provisional settlement are confidential, we intend to continue to work through the remaining outstanding issues to finalize a settlement that will hopefully allow both sides to move forward in a positive way," a statement from attorneys representing the student-athletes read.
The backstory:
The scandal erupted in 2023 when an outside investigation found that while there was not "sufficient" evidence that coaches directly knew about hazing, they had "significant opportunities" to learn about it.
Initially, former Coach Pat Fitzgerald was handed a two-week suspension. Days later, university president Michael Schill reversed course and fired Fitzgerald, citing the investigation’s findings and the serious nature of the hazing allegations.
Fitzgerald, who led Northwestern’s football program for 17 seasons, has consistently denied any knowledge of the hazing and filed a $130 million lawsuit against the university and Schill in October 2023, claiming breach of contract and damage to his reputation.
His attorneys argue the firing "irreparably and permanently damaged" Fitzgerald’s career and "destroyed his ability to maintain the football coaching career he had spent his entire professional life creating."
The lawsuit remains active and is not affected by the university’s settlement with the football players.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by Jon Yates, Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Northwestern University, and previous FOX 32 reporting.