The 2025 college football season feels like déjà vu with all the familiar faces back on the sidelines. Amid the constant coaching carousel, second chances have defined the season. And former Northwestern HC, Pat Fitzgerald, is already getting the icks of it. The 50-year-old’s firing from Northwestern in 2023 was a shocker, tied to hazing allegations within the football program that he swore he didn’t know about or condone. Feeling wronged, Fitzgerald sued Northwestern for $130 million.

But after two years of immense battle, Fitzgerald, rested and ready, says he’s eager to return to coaching. That’s why, in a recent discussion with ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Rece Davis, you can practically feel Fitzgerald being all pepped up. “I feel very fortunate. I feel fully vindicated. It’s been great working through this process,” Pat said on the November 6th edition of ESPN’s CFB show. “There have been conversations with a lot of folks. It’s been face-to-face. Been on Zoom. It’s been phone calls. Been received very well.

He continued to say, “You don’t win the amount of games we won. Graduate 100% of your players like we did. Run, in my opinion, a world-class program the way that we did. And you know what, also learning from areas where we can improve and get better.” It’s not hollow talk. Pat’s time with the wildcats is nothing short of spectacular. Over 17 years, he compiled a 110-101 record. That’s proving you can build a consistent winner in Evanston. Fitz had a knack for steady improvement and pulling off upset wins against marquee teams. Remember the memorable 2018 season? It was when Northwestern went 8-5 and made it to the Holiday Bowl.

It’s one of their better years in recent memory. The 2020 season stands out as a career highlight. In a pandemic-shortened, conference-only year, Northwestern went 6-1 in the regular season, clinching the Big Ten West and beating Auburn 35-19 in the Citrus Bowl. That year, Fitz snagged the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year and the prestigious Stallings Award for humanitarian coaching. The Wildcats finished No. 10 in the AP poll. It’s their best since their 1995 Rose Bowl run. Fitzgerald’s teams were known for defense-first discipline. In 2020, five players earned All-America honors, including star defender Brandon Joseph.

Beyond the field, he championed academics with record-setting Academic All-Big Ten achievements and perfect Graduation Success Rates. With a resume like that and a tough legal battle, Pat’s ready to wear that headgear again. “I know how to build a program. I know how to run a program, we know how to compete for championships and graduate guys and develop guys to be prepared for life,” he said.

But those bright moments came with some tough stretches, and Pat admits that, too. “Yeah. Did we have some dips? Well, yeah,” he said. “You’re at It’s the reality of college football. But we fought through them.” His last two seasons saw a brutal 4-20 record, reflecting how much the NIL era shifted recruiting power. Pat’s last season with the Wildcats was extra tragic. The Wildcats started with a surprising win over Nebraska, giving fans a sliver of hope.  But after that, everything went south with an 11-game losing streak. The massive drop-off is traced back largely to defensive struggles.

The defense regressed badly, ranking 91st nationally in points allowed and a dismal 117th in yards per rush allowed. Plus, the off-field struggles were the final straw to his unemployment.

Pat Fitzgerald off the legal strings

Let’s get to the heart of the drama. It all started when a former player came forward with chilling allegations of hazing and sexual abuse within the football program. The surrounding in Evanston was described as organized and toxic, led by a group called the “Shrek gang.” This hazing included forced participation in degrading acts, nudity, and other extreme behaviors. The player even accused Pat Fitzgerald of making a symbolic clapping motion during practice to signal when players were added to “Shrek’s list.”

Initially, Northwestern suspended Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay after an investigation found no definite proof that he knew about the hazing. But after a whole lot of backlash, Northwestern president Michael Schill fired him. “The head coach is ultimately responsible for the culture of his team,” university president Michael Schill wrote in an open letter to the school community. But Pat didn’t give up; he fought back the allegations against him by filing a lawsuit against the school.

He sued the university for a whopping $130 million, claiming wrongful termination. The case continued for two whole years. The lawsuit settlement in August finally brought some closure, with Northwestern publicly recognizing that inappropriate conduct had indeed happened in the football program. However, the university vindicated Fitzgerald by admitting it had no proof any player ever reported hazing directly to him.

This was a crucial distinction because it cleared him of knowingly allowing the toxic culture to exist.