Northwestern football players hire lawyers amid hazing scandal
CHICAGO (CBS) -- At least 12 Northwestern University football players have now retained lawyers after hazing allegations they say took place in the program.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Monday, it all amounts to another blow for the athletic program at Northwestern – days after the school fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
The university president said Fitzgerald failed to know and prevent hazing in the football program.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he's partnering with the Chicago law firm Levin & Perconti to assist at least eight football players take legal action in a hazing scandal that he alleges included physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
Crump is best known for representing families involved in police brutality and other civil rights cases.
Attorneys hope more players come forward.
"Our clients are very seriously focused on putting a stop to this type of conduct," said attorney Steve Levin.
Earlier this month, an independent investigation commissioned by the university found credible proof of hazing in the football program.
Attorneys for the players said those players have shared what they went through in the program – including the "Gatorade shake challenge," in which players were forced to chug protein-heavy drinks until they got sick. There were also allegations of "forced naked acts."
Other players claim the program enabled a racist culture – asking Black athletes to change their hairstyles, but not asking the same of white athletes.
Levin said the athletes have described experiencing an institutionalized culture of abuse and hazing that dates back as long ago as 2005.
"Bright athletes recruited by a major university, and then for no rational reason were forced to undergo forced sexual and physical abuse," Levin said.
Northwestern conducted its own investigation into hazing allegations – announcing this month that claims from former players were largely substantiated – but saying the coaches were not aware of the incidents.
As to who is at risk of being sued in the athletes' case, Levin said, "Our focus is on Northwestern as an institution."
Levin's argument is that former Coach Fitzgerald and the university should have known hazing had been happening for years. So far, they are not planning to sue any individual person.
Levin is hoping the lawsuit goes beyond the Northwestern football program.
"There are probably student athletes across the country right now experiencing this type of physical and sexual abuse – not just at the collegiate level, but I shudder to think this could go as far as high school," Levin said. "The reckoning will be they hear these Northwestern football players had the courage to come forward, they will be empowered to come forward also."
"Protecting the welfare of every student at Northwestern University is central to our mission and something we approach with the utmost seriousness. When the University was made aware of anonymous hazing complaints in November 2022, we acted immediately with an independent investigator to conduct a comprehensive review of the allegations. We have taken a number of subsequent actions to eliminate hazing from our football program, and we expect to introduce additional actions in the coming weeks. The administration is committed to working alongside the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the student body to ensure that hazing has no place in student life at Northwestern."
When asked when we could see a lawsuit filed, Levin would only say, "Soon."
CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said the attorneys will have an 18-month statute of limitations from when the alleged incidents happened to file any criminal charges.
"I think any of these players who participated in the hazing in the last 18 months, they should be looking for lawyers," Miller said.
Miller said the attorneys will be asking athletes all over the country to come forward.
"If this happened at Northwestern, it could happen anywhere else in the country," he said.
Meanwhile, Northwestern University President Michael H. Schill first suspended Coach Fitzgerald without pay – but days later, he was fired. Fitzgerald has himself hired a lawyer to represent him for a possible breach of contract.
Northwestern released this statement in regard to the athletes who have retained attorneys:
Northwestern also fired its head baseball coach, Jim Foster, after an investigation alleging he created a toxic culture during his first and only season with the school.