Ann Arbor, Michigan — Former michigan head coach chris partridge filed a lawsuit against the university, its board of trustees and its director of athletics on wednesday over Expel him in 2023 While the NCAA investigated allegations of personal scouting and sign stealing.
Partridge’s lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Michigan says his “termination was completely unjustified and without legitimate cause,” saying the school violated his 14th Amendment right to due process.
“The University of Michigan wrongfully terminated Partridge’s employment and disseminated false and damaging information regarding his professional conduct, tarnishing Partridge’s hard-earned reputation and causing irreparable harm to his career and personal well-being,” the lawsuit states.
Michigan did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. The Big Ten declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Partridge was fired from Michigan in November 2023 while the NCAA was investigating allegations that former university employee Connor Stallions bought tickets to scout the school’s opponents and sent people to those games to record the teams’ signals on their plays. Personal scouting is prohibited by the NCAA. The Stallions quit earlier that month.
In 2025, the NCAA Committee on Infractions determined that the Stallions had orchestrated a scouting scheme for years. It also found recruiting irregularities and fined the school millions of dollars. Partridge was largely cleared of any wrongdoing.
But immediately after Partridge was fired, rumors spread about why he had left. He took to social media at the time to say he had no knowledge of any scouting scheme and that he was fired because he failed to adhere to school guidelines to avoid discussing the investigation with “anyone associated with the program.”
“In addition, at no time did I destroy any evidence related to the ongoing investigation,” he said in an online post.
Partridge went on to serve as outside linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks, helping them to a Super Bowl win last month.
The lawsuit states that the university informed Partridge that he was fired because he told a player he should “get an attorney,” even though he was instructed not to contact the athletes during the investigation.
Partridge confirmed that he said that to one of the players. But he said in the lawsuit that the football staff was never told to stop communicating with players, which would have brought the football program to a screeching halt.
“Partridge was the scapegoat who was wrongly fired simply because he told a player he had a right to an attorney,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit also said the school defamed his reputation, including when some athletics department employees and at least one member of the Board of Regents told a sportswriter that Partridge was fired for “destruction of evidence.” Several news organizations subsequently published this information. Including APwhich cited Yahoo Sports reporting that Partridge “allegedly attempted to hide evidence.”
Partridge was fired before the Wolverines became national football champions. One day after his firing, the school and the Big Ten Conference agreed that coach Jim Harbaugh would serve his final two games. Three matches suspended In exchange for the conference ending its investigation into allegations of banner theft.
The lawsuit seeks damages to be determined at trial, along with clearing Partridge’s name and reputation.