Former Northwestern player details 'inhumane' hazing allegations following Pat Fitzgerald's suspension

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A report from The Daily Northwestern includes details of alleged hazing within the Northwestern football program, and head coach Pat Fitzgerald was suspended for two weeks by the school Friday.

A former player told the outlet the incidents included acts of sexual misconduct, among other "absolutely egregious and vile and inhumane behavior."

He said players, mostly freshman, would be "dry-[humped]" by several upperclassmen who were dressed in "Purge-like" masks in a practice called "running." A player would be "ran" usually if he made mistakes at practice.

The player said if other team members clapped their hands above their heads near a player, that meant he had to be "ran." Fitzgerald denies knowing about the allegations, but the player says Fitzgerald made the signal during practices, encouraging the hazing to go on.

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Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Beaver Stadium Oct. 1, 2022, in State College, Pa.  (Getty Images)

"It’s a shocking experience as a freshman to see your fellow freshman teammates get ran, but then you see everybody bystanding in the locker room," the player said. "It’s just a really abrasive and barbaric culture that has permeated throughout that program for years on end now.

"Everyone would just be looking at each other and be like, ‘Bro, Fitz knows about this,’ because you wouldn’t take that action otherwise," the player added. "Everyone joins in because he’s the head coach.

"It’s done under this smoke and mirror of ‘Oh, this is team bonding.' But, no, this is sexual abuse."

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