Former Black Iowa Football Players Moving Forward With Lawsuit After $20 Million Settlement Denied
University of Iowa has refused to meet the demands of former Black football players accusing the school of racial discrimination. They are now moving forward with a lawsuit.
In October, the former football players sent a letter to the university demanding the firing of current head coach Kirk Ferentz, as well assistant coach Brian Ferentz and athletic director Gary Barta over allegations of racial discrimination. The group of players also demanded a $20 million settlement from the university.
The school refused to terminate the three principals in their football program nor did they agree to the settlement. However, the school did say Ferentz, the longest-tenured coach in college football, admitted to a “blind spot” in his program. According to the Des Moines Register, the players have withdrawn their settlement and will file a lawsuit.
An attorney for two of the players said in a letter to the school, “Since our settlement efforts are stalled, this letter serves as formal notice we are withdrawing our prior demand, including the $20 million monetary portion, and moving forward with filing our lawsuit.”
The Des Moines Register reports the attorneys “sent a sweeping freedom-of-information request to obtain a wide range of data from the university, including text messages and emails from current and former coaches since June 3.”
Dozens of former Iowa football players have spoken out in recent months about the experiences at Iowa University. Many of them said they felt they were unfairly treated and unable to be themselves because they were Black. They also demanded the creation of a permanent Black male senior administrator within the athletic department, mandatory anti-racist training for staff members, and a board of advisers with Black players and anti-racist professionals to oversee the program.
The complaints also centered around strength coach Chris Doyle, who was put on administrative leave after and later reached a separation agreement with the school.
The eight former players include defensive back Maurice Flemming, receiver Andre Harris, running back Marcel Joly, receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley, linebacker Aaron Mends, running back Jonathan Parker, linebacker Reggie Spearman and running back Akrum Wadley.
Iowa president Bruce Herreld, who’s retiring, responded to the players in October.
"We appreciate some former athletes sharing insights on their experience while at the University of Iowa,” Harreld said, according to the Register.
“Many of their concerns have been reviewed and addressed. And to be clear, any student-athlete that has left the university and did not obtain their degree is welcome to return, and we are here to support them.”
The statement continued: "There are several demands outlined in the letter, and we are proud of the efforts made to date. We have a path forward that includes ideas and recommendations from many current and former students aimed at making the University of Iowa a more inclusive and better place to learn, grow, and compete as an athlete. However, the university rejects the demands for money and personnel changes."
Ferentz also replied to the letter in a statement: “I am disappointed to receive this type of demand letter. Due to the threat of litigation, I am not able to address the specific comments made by our former players. As you know, this past summer we made adjustments to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our student-athletes. These changes include both policies and rules, as well as an expanded leadership council of current players and a new advisory committee comprised of former players.”
He added, “I am deeply committed to helping everyone who joins the Hawkeye Football program reach their full potential on and off the field.”
