Ex-Michigan Assistant Chris Partridge Suing Wolverines For 'Wrongful Termination' During Connor Stalions Saga

The 2023 sign-stealing saga might be old news for some, but former Michigan assistant coach Chris Partridge has decided to sue his former employer and athletic director Warde Manuel for wrongful termination tied to his firing by the Wolverines.

A former linebackers coach for the Wolverines, Partridge was alleged to have spoken with a former student-athlete during the investigation about the ongoing inquiry by the school and NCAA into the sign-stealing ordeal that was initiated by Connor Stalions. 

There were also allegations that he had destroyed evidence during the investigation, which the NCAA cleared him of, along with any other alleged actions that led to his firing by Michigan. 

In the complaint filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, Partridge claims that he was made to be a "scapegoat" for the Wolverines, as they were in the middle of a dispute with the Big Ten over potential punishments that were on the cusp of being handed down. 

"Partridge was a scapegoat who was wrongly fired simply because he told a player he had the right to have counsel—something the University should have told the players themselves if it had been protecting their interests instead of trying to curry favor with the NCAA," the complaint states. 

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During the initial days of the investigation by Big Ten officials, along with the NCAA, it is alleged that Commissioner Tony Petitti tried to entice Michigan to part ways with Patridge if the school wanted to keep dirty laundry pertaining to the sign-stealing investigation out of a court hearing that was upcoming, based on an injunction the Wolverines were hoping to be granted for punishment already handed down at the time to Jim Harbaugh. 

"Michigan’s unlawful dismissal of Partridge was based on pressure from the Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, who used Partridge as a pawn in an eleventh-hour maneuver to force Michigan and Harbaugh to dismiss their lawsuit against the Big Ten, which was scheduled for a preliminary injunction hearing two days later," Partridge alleges in his suit. 

"Upon information and belief, the Big Ten Commissioner informed Michigan that if the University and Harbaugh did not immediately dismiss their lawsuit, the Big Ten would make damaging revelations about Michigan’s "sign-stealing" during the hearing on Friday, including that Partridge had "interfered with" the NCAA’s ongoing investigation."

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The lawsuit states that Michigan attorneys told coaches that any type of communication regarding the ongoing investigation was not allowed. 

It's alleged in the suit that when a former student-athlete approached Chris Partridge for advice on what to do regarding an upcoming interview with the NCAA that the former assistant told the player he needed to speak with his father, and then an attorney. 

The school was presented "evidence" at the time that this was not the case, and that Partridge had essentially told the player to not cooperate, along with a reported destroying of evidence.

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Partridge states that Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel used the former assistant coach as a tool to avoid further information being released by Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. This part of the ordeal was one of the main reasons why Michigan fired Partridge, according to the suit. 

"Upon information and belief, in exchange, Petitti agreed not to publicly disclose the sensationalized information he had shared with Manuel, to issue a positive public statement about the parties resolving their dispute, and to do nothing further regarding the NCAA’s "sign-stealing" investigation," the lawsuit from Partridge reads. 

The information from Tony Petitti was said to be based on "uncorroborated, second-hand, inflammatory information" that was given to Warde Manuel.

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It was during a meeting with AD Warde Manuel that Partridge was allegedly told that he was being fired because "he had been informed that Partridge had advised a certain football player not to be forthright with information regarding the NCAA investigation", which Partridge denied, and the NCAA later cleared him of. 

Defensive Coordinator Steve Clinkscale, Special Teams Coordinator Jay Harbaugh and Linebackers Coach Chris Partridge look on during the fourth quarter of the Michigan Football spring game at Michigan Stadium on April 1, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)

According to multiple sources, one of the informants that helped the NCAA and Big Ten with its investigation into Michigan was the former student-athlete that was referenced numerous times by the NCAA, and in the lawsuit filed by Partridge. The former Michigan student-athlete was also working with Connor Stalions in helping decipher signals that were recorded during the entire ordeal, according to sources. 

Now, with the NCAA noting this past summer that Partridge had been cleared of any wrongdoing, the former assistant is now suing Michigan for ‘wrongful termination’. It should also be noted that Partridge has taken aim at athletic director Warde Manuel for his handling of investigations involving the department, referencing multiple instances of misdoings by Wolverine staffers over previous years. 

One of those instances was the firing of former head coach Sherrone Moore for having an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. 

During the NCAA's Infractions hearing last June, it was alleged by Chris Partridge that Warde Manuel said that he was under "immense pressure" during that time period by the Big Ten and others, leading to "hasty decisions" being made. 

"After the hearing, Manuel approached Partridge, shook his hand, and told him he was sorry Partridge had to go through this," the lawsuit states.

Now, along with recouping financial damages, the former Michigan assistant also wants to restore his image within the collegiate community, after he just helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl as the linebackers coach.