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BREAKING: Northwestern team issues statement denying severity of hazing claims, supports Pat Fitzgerald as coach

Following a report from The Daily Northwestern on Saturday afternoon surrounding Northwestern football’s hazing allegations — with two former players providing graphic details about supposed unwanted sexual activities and other forms of physical and emotional harassment — the NU team has responded to claims.

In a statement provided to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, the team emphasized its lack of tolerance for hazing, calling the reported incidents “exaggerated and twisted,” as well as “fabrications.” Additionally, the team expressed faith in the university’s third-party investigation, led by Maggie Hickey of ArentFox Schiff, which it deemed “rigorous.”

Notably, the team posited that head coach Pat Fitzgerald “was not involved in any of the alleged incidents in any way, shape or form.