Ex-Northwestern players hire Ben Crump, Chicago firm in hazing case - ESPN

Eight former Northwestern football players have retained noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump and a Chicago-based law firm to pursue legal action against the school for hazing incidents that took place within the program.

Crump and the Levin & Perconti firm say they have discovered «a vast array of incidents of abuse» within the Northwestern program. Northwestern conducted a six-month investigation into hazing allegations within the program, announcing July 7 that claims from a former player were largely substantiated but that coaches were not aware of the incidents. After initially suspending head coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay, Northwestern fired Fitzgerald on July 10.

«Whether the coaches at Northwestern approved or participated in the harassment of these players or not, they are responsible for allowing and enabling a toxic, disgusting, and damaging culture in their programs,» Crump said in a statement. «Sadly, our research suggests that this kind of abuse of student athletes may be far more common on college campuses than we know, because there is tremendous pressure to keep quiet. It's time for a reckoning to protect young athletes.»

In a news release, the Levin & Perconti firm stated that it expects more former Northwestern players to join the legal action, which is likely to expand with other college programs. Crump, in 2021, filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio State on behalf of victims who alleged they were sexually abused by former university doctor Richard Strauss.

In a July 10 letter announcing Fitzgerald's firing, Northwestern president Michael Schill wrote that the hazing incidents included «forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature, in clear violation of