3 more former Northwestern University athletes file lawsuits for alleged hazing in football program

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Three more former Northwestern football players have filed suit against the university and former head football coach Pat Fitzgerald for alleged violent sexual hazing.

The first is a 27-year-old former Wildcat linebacker who attended Northwestern from 2015-2019; the second attended from 2019-2023; and the third was at Northwestern between 2020 and 2023.

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Two of these plaintiffs spoke with former Illinois Inspector General Maggie Hickey when she was investigating allegations of hazing at Northwestern, and two of the complaints say the players took steps to alert Northwestern employees about "violent sexual hazing" and "emotional abuse" in the football program.

READ MORE: Former Northwestern football players speak on alleged hazing, racism

More than 50 former student athletes have filed suit against the school and Fitzgerald, claiming they experienced physical and mental harm through hazing and racism on the team.

Fitzgerald was fired in July 2023, about 10 days after news of the hazing scandal broke. He denies wrongdoing in the scandal, and has filed his own termination lawsuit.