Weeks after a hazing scandal rocked the Northwestern football program and led to the ouster of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats are under fire yet again.
The college football world was outraged after Bradley Locker of Inside NU shared a picture of Northwestern football staffers, including offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, wearing shirts that seemed to honor Fitzgerald during practice Wednesday. The shirts had the slogan “Cats Against the World” on them and included the number 51 on it—the number Fitzgerald wore during his All-American playing career at Northwestern.
Here’s a look at the shirts, per Locker.
Several Northwestern coaches/staffers, including OC Mike Bajakian, are donning "Cats Against the World" shirts with No. 51 — Pat Fitzgerald's old jersey number — on them. pic.twitter.com/ZFQ3tNU1Vv
— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) August 9, 2023
Fitzgerald was fired on July 10 after allegations of hazing in the Northwestern were uncovered. While Fitzgerald has maintained that he was unaware of any hazing that took place, a slew of lawsuits have been filed against him in connection with the matter. Upon seeing the shirts, fans chimed in on social media with their outrage over the tone-deaf nature of supporting Fitzgerald given the allegations about the program’s culture.
you’re gonna need to flush out the football program and athletic department, northwestern https://t.co/IxrrtE7q7C
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) August 9, 2023
oh so we're just speedrunning 2016 baylor again, nice https://t.co/kA6F6euoJ7
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) August 9, 2023
So dumb. The shirts should say: WE ARE SORRY https://t.co/Kt76jsfBNq
— Teddy Greenstein (@TeddyGreenstein) August 9, 2023
An unconscionable insult to the myriad victims of their sexualized hazing, bullying and racism. Who allowed this? https://t.co/RcvN5ve5XW
— Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) August 9, 2023
You can’t be serious https://t.co/9bISHdgLLd
— Anthony (Tony) Gill (@thetonygill) August 9, 2023
So much for increased administrative oversight of the program. https://t.co/inRGQZFHGY
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) August 9, 2023
this program is allergic to making a good PR move. hire me. https://t.co/M317F86F20
— brady (@hoosiercommish) August 9, 2023
Moves like this seem likely to only further damage the image of the program, which opens its season Sunday, September 3 against Rutgers.
