The hottest news in town sees Pat Fitzgerald heading back to a potential coaching job. With the regular season almost coming to a close, the PSU administration searches for replacements for James Franklin. Notably, Pat Fitzgerald’s name has emerged as a candidate for the vacant role, potentially signaling the ex-Northwestern head coach’s return to the Big Ten.

According to the Athletic, Pat Fitzgerald returns to the coaching sphere after settling a $130 million wrongful termination claim with Northwestern. He was fired from the program in 2023 after being accused of a hazing scandal. If Penn State chooses Fitzgerald as the successor to James Franklin, who earns $85 million, it would mean a return to coaching after a two-year hiatus.

While Fitzgerald’s reputation carries risk for the Nittany Lions, his track record at Northwestern is considerable. As a head coach, he held an overall record of 110-101 from 2006 to 2022. In 2018 and 2020, he led Northwestern to the Big Ten West Division titles. Winning the Citrus Bowl in 2020, with a 35-19 victory over Auburn, added another feather to his cap. He also achieved personal milestones, being named the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2018 and earning the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 2020. The list is endless.

Moreover, Fitzgerald didn’t limit his achievements to coaching. He played linebacker for the Wildcats from 1993 to 96 and became the only player to win both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award twice. Furthermore, he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors twice, secured two consensus All-American selections, and eventually entered the College Football Hall of Fame.

However, one thing to note among his achievements is that he has seen dry spells in his time coaching. One example is his 7-2 record in 2020 was an exception during that stretch; the seasons before and after were objectively bad. Across 2019, 2021, and 2022, his overall record was 7-29, with a 3-24 Big Ten record.

With names like Brent Key, Clark Lea, and Bob Chesney all coming up for the role, Fitzgerald could swoop past the line with his linebacker background. That’s because PSU athletic director Patrick Kraft once played linebacker for Indiana. It remains to be seen if that factor plays a role in Fitzgerald’s admission.

Inside Pat Fitzgerald’s $130 million wrongful termination contract

If Pat Fitzgerald completes his return to coaching, then he secures a double win for himself this year. The first victory would be the $130 million settlement with Northwestern, putting the hazing rumors behind him. The hazing allegations first came to light in November 2022, when a former Northwestern player filed an anonymous complaint alleging hazing, s***** misconduct, and abuse within the program.

Northwestern then hired an independent investigator team to review the claims. They interviewed over 50 athletes and cross-checked more than 1,000 emails. The result was “corroborating evidence” of hazing activities, including alleged s********* conduct. However, the report concluded that there was no direct evidence linking Fitzgerald to the misconduct or that he was even aware of it. He filed the lawsuit against the Wildcats in 2023 for defamation, owed salary, and future lost income.

“For the past two years, I have engaged in a process of extensive fact and expert discovery, which showed what I have known and said all along, that I had no knowledge of hazing ever occurring in the Northwestern football program, and that I never directed or encouraged hazing in any way,” Fitzgerald said in a statement shared by his attorneys.

While the details of the settlement are not public, Fitzgerald shared that he was satisfied with the terms of the settlement. Everyone’s eager to know what’s next for the famous head coach.