Partridge sues Michigan over shooting during Stallions scandal

Former Michigan assistant football coach Chris Partridge, who was fired during the Wolverines’ 2023 sign-stealing scandal only to later be cleared of wrongdoing by the NCAA, filed a lawsuit against the university, its board of trustees and athletic director Ward Manuel in federal court on Wednesday.

Partridge, now the Seattle Seahawks’ linebackers coach, was fired on Nov. 17, 2023, amid the investigation into an advanced scouting operation run by then-employee Connor Stallions. It was never alleged that Partridge knew about the sign-stealing scheme, let alone participated in it.

But in a 46-page complaint filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, Partridge claims he was made a “scapegoat.”

The lawsuit alleges that Big Ten Commissioner Tony Pettitte “provided (Michigan Athletic Director Ward) Manuel uncorroborated, indirect and inflammatory information” that Partridge told an unnamed student-athlete “not to be forthcoming with the information” when speaking with NCAA investigators.

The complaint alleges that Pettitte “threatened to embarrass Michigan by providing” the information during a pending judicial hearing on the suspension of then-coach Jim Harbaugh.

Both Michigan and the Big Ten declined to comment.

Citing unnamed sources, local and national news outlets reported at the time that Partridge had “destroyed evidence.”

Partridge has denied all the allegations, saying he never destroyed any evidence, never had any to destroy in the first place and only told the player whose direction he sought to “get a lawyer.”

“A Michigan football player approached Partridge, told him he was nervous about his upcoming interview with the NCAA, and asked for advice,” the lawsuit says. “Partridge advised him to talk to his parents about hiring an attorney and to be honest with the NCAA.”

In 2025, the NCAA Committee on Infractions sided with Partridge on three separate alleged violations, including a reference to the “non-cooperation” charge in his lawsuit, providing a near-complete exoneration.

“The committee concludes that the case record does not demonstrate that these violations occurred,” the committee wrote.

The complaint asserts that by then the damage had been done. Despite his job with the Super Bowl champion, Partridge told ESPN he still aspires to work in college football, but the scandal in which he was cleared of wrongdoing hangs over him.

Partridge, 45, is the former head coach at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey, and went on to become a college assistant at Michigan (twice) and Ole Miss.

Partridge told ESPN that the lawsuit is intended to continue clearing his name in hopes that he can return to the college level as a head coach. He is seeking to recover lost wages as well as damages resulting from the impact of the dismissal on his professional reputation, career prospects and personal health.

“I always believe the truth will come out in the end,” Partridge said. “I came all the way through the process with the NCAA and the truth won out. And I feel like I have to go all the way through the process with Michigan for the truth to win out with Michigan.”

The lawsuit provides a window into the intense and contentious conflict between the Big Ten and Michigan during the 2023 season.

The sign-stealing scandal broke on October 18, when evidence was presented to the NCAA by a yet-to-be-identified third party that the Stallions were sending individuals to opponents’ stadiums to photograph sideline signs. Over the following weeks, additional information emerged almost daily, dominating the headlines as the Wolverines advanced to a 15-0 national championship season.

Matters came to a head when the Big Ten imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh, citing the “sportsmanship” clause. Outraged by the comment, Harbaugh and the university sought an injunction.

Partridge’s complaint says Petitti told Michigan that disclosure of “the new information was likely to result in the Washtenaw County Circuit Court denying Michigan and Harbaugh’s request for an injunction.”

However, the lawsuit asserts that the information was merely “unconfirmed and outright false information about Partridge.”

Regardless, according to the complaint, “Manuel offered to fire Partridge and dismiss the legal claims brought by Michigan and Harbaugh against the Big Ten and Petitti.”

Meanwhile, according to the complaint, “in exchange, Petitti agreed not to publicly disclose the sensationalized information he shared with Manuel, to issue a positive public statement about the parties’ resolution of their dispute, and to do nothing further in connection with the NCAA’s sign-stealing investigation.”

Partridge was fired but always maintained his innocence and mounted a staunch defense when the NCAA’s official allegations were levied.

Not only did the NCAA infractions committee side with Partridge, but the lawsuit alleges that during the hearing, Manuel told the committee “he was under tremendous pressure at the time he fired Partridge” and “because of that pressure, he made hasty decisions.”

Manuel, according to the lawsuit, approached Partridge at the end of the hearing, “shaken his hand and told him he was sorry Partridge had to go through this.”

“My passion is to be a head college coach,” Partridge told ESPN. “This has always been my dream. I’m not going to give it up just because other people made bad decisions.”

The lawsuit also notes that if Manuel had provided proper supervision to Harbaugh and Stallions, none of this scandal would have happened in the first place, as Partridge had nothing to do with the advanced exploration operation.

He also cites how Manuel’s immediate firing of Partridge is inconsistent with how Manuel handled allegations against other members of the athletic department, including former head coach Sherwin Moore, who was fired in December for having an inappropriate relationship with an employee.

Shortly after Moore’s firing, the university hired Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm, to conduct a wide-ranging review of the culture, behavior and procedures of the entire athletic department following a series of scandals. She is expected to share her findings this spring.