Northwestern fired head coach Pat Fitzgerald in the fallout of a hazing investigation that originally saw the sideline boss suspended for two weeks without pay, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

The investigation, which began in December 2022, found "evidence to corroborate claims made by an anonymous whistleblower regarding hazing activities and events." But, the probe didn't uncover evidence to suggest the coaching staff knew about the hazing but found that "there had been opportunities for them to discover and report" it.

However, the school began gathering more information and reconsidered Fitzgerald's initial punishment after a former player told The Daily Northwestern about other alleged hazing incidents, with some including coerced sexual acts. The anonymous player also added that Fitzgerald may have known about the incidents.