Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal has taken another dramatic turn. But this time, it doesn’t involve anyone in the administration at Ann Arbor. Instead, a former Wolverine has taken action for the coverage of the scandal by a media organization.
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Former Michigan and Ohio State linebacker Joey Velazquez has filed a defamation lawsuit against CBS. He claims that a September 2025 broadcast by CBS News Detroit wrongly accused him of lying to the NCAA during its explosive investigation into the University of Michigan’s football sign-stealing scandal. The lawsuit was filed on August 28, 2026, in the Manhattan Supreme Court.
However, CBS never explicitly named Velazquez in the segment. But the outlet identified a student-athlete who made a false claim about a Michigan assistant coach as the same player who recorded a call with former staffer Connor Stalions. At the time, it was in the public domain that the second player was Velazquez.
The CBS report alleged that this student-athlete falsely told NCAA investigators that linebackers coach Chris Partridge instructed players to lie and not cooperate with the probe. Velazquez categorically denies ever making that statement. According to the lawsuit, the NCAA never determined that Velazquez lied and eventually cleared Partridge of the specific accusation that he had told players to obstruct the investigation.
However, days after the CBS report, a lawyer who represented Patridge had posted on X in defense of Velazquez. The lawyer said that there is “no excuse to falsely state that an athlete involved in the investigation had lied to the NCAA.”
Even the NCAA got in touch with CBS to clarify that its investigation did not find that Velazquez lied. Even then, the news organization did not offer any retraction, the lawsuit alleges. While it made a slight change to the original report, the outlet kept on carrying the original statement about the lie.
Velazquez alleges that his family reportedly received roughly 5,000 hateful messages, which also included explicit death threats. The suit notes that irate Michigan fans actively stalked him. Velazquez was a dual-sport athlete who also played college baseball. He claims the negative publicity severely damaged his reputation. It caused professional sports teams to lose interest in him.
The Michigan sign-stealing controversy
The University of Michigan sign-stealing controversy was a massive college football scandal. It revolved around an elaborate, illicit off-campus scouting operation. The scandal unraveled during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season and eventually resulted in historic NCAA penalties.
While deciphering an opponent’s hand signals from game television broadcasts or in-game observation is legal, NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1 strictly prohibits in-person, off-campus scouting of future opponents within the same season.
The NCAA’s 74-page final report detailed that low-level Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions referred to his operation as “counterintelligence” and that “the KGB” orchestrated an impermissible network. Over a three-season span spanning 56 games and 13 opponents, Stalions spent over $35,000 on tickets to games against potential Michigan opponents.
Stalions forwarded these tickets to a network of acquaintances, interns, and student-athletes. They were placed in strategic seats near the 50-yard line. These individuals used smartphones and electronic devices to record the opposing sidelines and log their play-calling hand signals.
The recorded videos were compiled as “dirty film”. Stalions then decoded the signs and stood directly next to Michigan’s coordinators on the sideline during games. He advised them on what plays the opposing teams were about to run.
The controversy grew significantly when the investigation went public in October 2023 due to obstruction tactics. When confronted by investigators, Stalions threw his cell phone into a pond rather than turning over its data to the NCAA.
Former head coach Sherrone Moore, who was the offensive coordinator at the time, deleted a text message thread with Stalions. It was roughly 30 minutes after the initial reports of the scandal broke, resulting in individual recruiting and head coach responsibility penalties.
The NCAA finalized its ruling in August 2025. It handed down some of the most aggressive financial and professional punishments in college sports history. The University of Michigan was hit with a staggering $30 million financial penalty. It was composed of a direct fine, a 10% slice of the overall football budget, and a 10% reduction in scholarships. It also included the complete loss of its 2025 and 2026 postseason conference revenue sharing.
Former head coach Jim Harbaugh received a 10-year show-cause penalty. It effectively banned him from college football until 2035. At the same time, Stalions received an 8-year show-cause ban.
Crucially for Michigan fans, the NCAA opted not to strip the program of its 2023 National Championship or issue a future postseason ban. They choose to punish the university financially rather than penalize the active roster.