Former Michigan Wolverines assistant soccer coach Chris Partridge believes he was used as a scapegoat.
The Wolverines fired him as they had been coping with the 2023 sign-stealing scandal, centered on former staffer Connor Stalions, who was working an “superior scouting operation” for Michigan soccer.
Partridge was fired by Michigan regardless of by no means being alleged to have participated within the sign-stealing scheme. He was by no means even alleged to have recognized about it.
It was claimed that Partridge, now a linebackers coach for the Tremendous Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, informed a Michigan participant to not cooperate with the NCAA investigation and that he even destroyed proof.
Partridge was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the NCAA, however now he is suing Michigan, the board of trustees and athletic director Warde Manuel in federal courtroom. He is in search of “the restoration of misplaced wages in addition to for damages because of the influence the firing had on his skilled repute, profession prospects and private well being,” in response to Dan Wetzel of ESPN.
Former Michigan assistant coach Chris Partridge is suing the varsity and athletic director Warde Manuel
“I all the time imagine that the reality will ultimately come out,” Partridge mentioned, by way of Wetzel. “I went right through the method with the NCAA and the reality prevailed. And I really feel I’ve to go right through the method with Michigan for the reality with Michigan to prevail.”
Partridge is alleging that Large Ten commissioner Tony Petitti “offered Manuel with uncorroborated, second-hand, inflammatory info” concerning his function within the scandal.
The grievance alleges that Petitti “threatened to embarrass Michigan by presenting” that info throughout an injunction listening to concerning the suspension of Jim Harbaugh, who was the Wolverines head coach on the time. That “info” would have additionally seemingly led the courtroom to disclaim Michigan and Harbaugh’s injunction request.
The grievance additionally alleges that Manuel provided to fireplace Partridge and to dismiss Michigan’s authorized declare towards the Large Ten and Petitti, whereas Petitti had agreed to not “publicly disclose the sensationalized info” he had on Partridge and “to do nothing additional concerning the NCAA’s ‘sign-stealing’ investigation.”
Chris Partridge desires to be a university soccer head coach
Partridge was fired, however in 2025, the NCAA Committee on Infractions cleared him of three separate alleged violations, together with the “failure to cooperate” allegation.
The lawsuit states that Manuel informed the committee that “he was underneath immense stress on the time he fired Partridge” and “due to this stress, he made hasty choices.”
Regardless of being an NFL assistant coach, Partridge believes this entire saga has negatively impacted his potential to at some point coach faculty soccer once more, and that is his objective.
He desires to be a university soccer head coach, so he is suing to proceed clearing his title.
“My ardour is to be a head faculty coach,” Partridge informed ESPN. “That has all the time been a dream of mine. I am not going to surrender on that simply because different individuals made unhealthy choices.”
