Former Northwestern offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian is suing the varsity for defamation and spreading false data for its actions through the hazing scandal that rocked this system final summer season.
Bajakian, who was fired in December and now works as an offensive analyst at Utah, named Northwestern, college president Michael Schill and athletic director Derrick Gragg in his lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Prepare dinner County Circuit Courtroom. His lawsuit states that Schill’s choice to fireplace coach Pat Fitzgerald, simply days after saying a two-week suspension for the coach and the findings of its personal exterior investigation into hazing claims, solid Bajakian and different employees members “in a false and deceptive mild.”
Though Fitzgerald was the one soccer employees member fired in July 2023, Bajakian claims that the college’s response “created, perpetuated and inspired a false and deceptive narrative” about his conduct and others on the employees, and was solely achieved in response to heavy media stress. Bajakian served as Northwestern’s offensive coordinator for the earlier 4 seasons after holding coordinator and/or quarterbacks coach roles with Boston School, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee, Cincinnati and Central Michigan.
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Based on the lawsuit, Bajakian misplaced the possibility to have his contract renewed, couldn’t land comparable employment and suffered reputational harm. Northwestern declined to touch upon the lawsuit. David Braun, who was named Northwestern’s everlasting coach in November after serving in an interim function, made a number of employees modifications following an 8-5 season. Northwestern ranked one hundred and twentieth nationally in yards and 129th in scoring throughout Bajakian’s tenure.
Bajakian’s lawsuit additionally centered on Gragg’s August 2023 assertion criticizing employees and staff members for carrying a T-shirt that learn “Cats in opposition to the World” and included Fitzgerald’s jersey quantity (51) on the faculty. The lawsuit claims Bajakian noticed the T-shirts at staff practices or exercises all through late July and early August that Northwestern directors attended with out elevating any objections. Based on the lawsuit, Bajakian wore the T-shirt at a staff observe and had a dialog with Gragg, who expressed no opposition.
However two days later, after photographs of Bajakian and others carrying the T-shirt appeared on social media throughout a soccer observe open to media members, Gragg issued a press release calling the shirts “inappropriate, offensive and tone deaf.” Gragg claimed that he nor the college had any data of the shirts. He didn’t title Bajakian publicly.
“Derrick Gragg publicly maligned Michael Bajakian’s character and status, and misled the general public by way of his false assertion, and has precipitated precise damages,” Bajakian’s lawsuit reads.
Fitzgerald has filed a $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit in opposition to Northwestern, which additionally faces lawsuits from dozens of former athletes for hazing and mistreatment.
