Former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge has taken his fight with his old employer to federal court, filing a lawsuit against the University of Michigan yesterday, which claims he was unfairly fired in the program's sign-stealing controversy. The complaint, submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, seeks damages for wrongful termination and reputational harm. Partridge, now an outside linebackers coach with the Seattle Seahawks, argues that the university's public explanation for his dismissal was false and left a lasting stain on his career.
In his complaint, Partridge wrote that he "was a scapegoat" and that Michigan used a false narrative to rationalize his firing, according to The Detroit News. The suit, filed yesterday in federal court in Detroit, names the university and seeks unspecified damages for alleged wrongful termination and reputational injury. Partridge's filing repeats his denials that he knew of or took part in the off-campus scouting operation that set off the NCAA investigation.
What Led To Partridge’s Dismissal
Michigan dismissed Partridge on Nov. 17, 2023, in the middle of an NCAA probe into in-person scouting and advanced scouting activities tied to former staffer Connor Stalions. After his firing, Partridge publicly pushed back on Michigan's stated reason for letting him go and denied reports that he destroyed evidence, as reported by ESPN. The university said new information uncovered during the investigation influenced its personnel decisions, a claim that has since been argued over in legal filings and media coverage.
NCAA Findings And Partridge’s Status
The NCAA's public infractions decision in August 2025 found broad violations inside Michigan's football program but stopped short of imposing major individual penalties on Partridge. The infractions panel identified his lone misstep as a text message and granted him mitigating treatment. As detailed in the decision from the NCAA, the committee fined the program and placed it on probation while treating Partridge's conduct as mitigated. He was not cited for any Level I violations and did not receive a show-cause order tied to the core sign-stealing allegations.
After leaving Ann Arbor, Partridge stayed in the game by moving to the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks list him on their coaching staff as the team's outside linebackers coach. The Seahawks' official roster shows him among the defensive assistants, a role that keeps him in the national spotlight even as he pursues his legal claims. That continued visibility underscores what he says were the professional stakes damaged by Michigan's actions.
What’s Next
Partridge's lawsuit asks a federal judge to award him compensation for lost income and damage to his reputation, according to The Detroit News. The university has not yet publicly filed a response. The case is expected to move through the usual civil litigation steps, including document discovery and pretrial motions, before any trial or settlement talks come into view. For fans and alumni in Ann Arbor and Detroit, the suit reopens old questions about how the program handled the scandal and who ultimately took the fall for it.
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