Following a settlement agreement between the Iowa football program and a group of Black former players who filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz released a statement on Monday expressing his disappointment with the decision.
The lawsuit—in which former players alleged that racial discrimination was prevalent throughout the Iowa football program—was settled on Monday over two years after it was filed. In his statement, Ferentz lamented the settlement decision, which he claims was made without the input of the coaches who were mentioned in the suit.
“The settlement negotiations took place between plaintiff’s counsel and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office which represents the University of Iowa and the Board of Regents. These discussions took place entirely without the knowledge or consent of the coaches who were named in the lawsuit,” Ferentz’s statement read. “In fact, the parties originally named disagree with the decision to settle fully believing the case would have been dismissed with prejudice before trial.”
