Former Michigan assistant coach sues school over sign-stealing firing
Zachary Neel, College Sports WireThu, March 12, 2026 at 3:05 AM UTC·1 min readThe legal drama concerning the Michigan Wolverines and the sign-stealing scandal involving Connor Stalions continues to play out.
According to ESPN's Dan Wetzel, former Michigan assistant coach Chris Partridge is suing the university after being fired by the Wolverines as a result of the 2023 sign-stealing scandal. Partridge was later cleared of all wrongdoing following an investigation.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to ESPN, Partridge was never alleged to be aware of or involved in the sign-stealing scandal, despite his dismissal. He is now acting as the linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks.
Partridge is now suing the university, its board of trustees, and athletic director Warde Manuel in federal court over the wrongful termination, making him a "scapegoat." The lawsuit alleges Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti "presented [Michigan athletic director Warde] Manuel with uncorroborated, second-hand, inflammatory information" that Partridge had told an unnamed student-athlete to "not be forthright with information" when speaking with NCAA investigators, according to Wetzel.
While the sign-stealing scandal has largely been put in the past, this resurfacing is just another bit of legal drama taking center stage at Michigan, following the dismissal of former head coach Sherrone Moore, who recently agreed to a deal Friday that resulted in him pleading no contest to two new misdemeanor charges in exchange for the dropping of a previous felony count and two separate misdemeanors.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Former Michigan coach Chris Partridge sues Wolverines over firing
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