Fired Northwestern coach wants to move up trial, return to football soon

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

An attorney for former Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald wants to move up the trial date in a dispute over his firing. Dan Webb says Fitzgerald can’t get another major job until he puts a hazing scandal behind him. Webb says the scandal has “decimated” Fitzgerald’s career. Fitzgerald was initially suspended for two weeks and then fired last year. Northwestern said he had a responsibility to know that hazing was occurring and should have stopped it. Fitzgerald denies wrongdoing. He responded by suing the school for $130 million. A trial has been set for April 2025. A judge hopes Northwestern and Fitzgerald can settle the lawsuit out of court.