Pat Fitzgerald is one of college football’s most recognisable coaches — a Hall of Fame linebacker at Northwestern who became its head coach for 17 seasons, and a family man whose wife, Stacy Fitzgerald, has been beside him through triumph, dismissal and a remarkable return to the sideline.
Fitzgerald married Stacy in about 2001. At his introductory press conference as Michigan State’s head coach, he thanked her publicly for 25 years of marriage and 35 years together, calling her the biggest rock star among college head-coaching wives in America.
Table of Contents
- Who Is Pat Fitzgerald?
- Pat Fitzgerald Age, Early Life and Education
- Pat Fitzgerald and Stacy Fitzgerald
- Pat Fitzgerald Children and Family Life
- Pat Fitzgerald Playing and Coaching Career
- The Northwestern Dismissal, Lawsuit and Settlement
- Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State
- Pat Fitzgerald Net Worth
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Pat Fitzgerald?
Patrick William Fitzgerald Jr., born on December 2, 1974, in Orland Park, Illinois, is an American football coach who serves as the head football coach at Michigan State University. He previously served as Northwestern’s head coach from 2006 until 2023. Readers searching for Pat Fitzgerald usually arrive wanting to know about his wife — but the full story now includes a comeback that older profiles do not cover.
Pat Fitzgerald Age, Early Life and Education
Pat Fitzgerald is 51 years old in 2026. He attended Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park and then Northwestern University, where he became one of the most decorated defensive players in college football: a two-time Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner, a two-time Chuck Bednarik Award winner and a consensus All-American, later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Patrick William Fitzgerald Jr. |
| Age in 2026 | 51 |
| Born | December 2, 1974 |
| Wife | Stacy Fitzgerald |
| Married | About 2001 |
| Children | Three sons |
| Current role | Head coach, Michigan State University |
| Former role | Head coach, Northwestern (2006–2023) |
Pat Fitzgerald and Stacy Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald married his longtime partner, Stacy Fitzgerald, around 2001. Stacy has played an active role beyond the coach’s wife stereotype, including involvement in youth football and community leadership such as the North Shore Griffins Youth Football League. The couple live in Northfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
Stacy’s public importance to the story grew during the hardest period of Fitzgerald’s career. When he spoke about the media scrutiny that followed his Northwestern dismissal, he said it had caused him, his wife and his three sons great stress and reputational harm — and at his Michigan State introduction he credited her directly for helping the family through the previous three years.
Pat Fitzgerald Children and Family Life
Pat and Stacy have three sons: Jack, born in 2004, Ryan, born in 2006, and Brendan, born in 2009. Fitzgerald has often described his children as very fortunate to have Stacy as their mother, and has spoken about the practical reality of raising three boys while coaching in the Big Ten.
Pat Fitzgerald Playing and Coaching Career
As a Northwestern linebacker from 1993 to 1996, Fitzgerald helped lead the Wildcats to a remarkable turnaround. He became head coach in July 2006 at the age of 31, after the sudden death of head coach Randy Walker, making him the youngest head coach in the Big Ten at the time. Over 17 seasons he compiled a 110–101 record, guided Northwestern to 11 bowl games and won two Big Ten West division titles, in 2018 and 2020.
The Northwestern Dismissal, Lawsuit and Settlement
Fitzgerald’s long Northwestern tenure ended abruptly in July 2023, when he was fired amid a hazing scandal in the football program. A university investigation later said it did not uncover evidence showing Fitzgerald knew about the alleged hazing, and his wrongful-termination lawsuit against the school was settled for an undisclosed amount. This article does not repeat unproven allegations as fact, and it does not present the settlement figure — which was not disclosed — as known.
Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State
After three years away from college coaching, Fitzgerald returned as Michigan State University’s 27th head coach. In his introductory press conference he thanked his family first, praised what Northwestern had accomplished on the field, in the classroom and in the community, and said the experience had made him a better leader, husband, father and coach. For readers, this is the key update missing from most older wife-focused profiles: the Fitzgerald story is no longer only a Northwestern story.
Pat Fitzgerald Net Worth
There is no verified public statement of Pat Fitzgerald’s exact net worth, and this article does not quote an unverified figure as fact. Reporting on his Michigan State appointment said he was set to earn $5 million before incentives in the first year of a five-year contract. His earlier Northwestern tenure, a home purchase in Northfield reported at $2.3 million in 2010, and his coaching contracts are the documented financial anchors of his career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pat Fitzgerald’s wife?
Pat Fitzgerald’s wife is Stacy Fitzgerald. They married around 2001 and have three sons together.
How many children do Pat and Stacy Fitzgerald have?
They have three sons: Jack, Ryan and Brendan.
Why did Pat Fitzgerald leave Northwestern?
He was fired in July 2023 amid a hazing scandal in the program. A later university investigation said it found no evidence he knew about the alleged hazing, and his lawsuit against Northwestern was settled for an undisclosed amount.
Where is Pat Fitzgerald coaching now?
He is the head football coach at Michigan State University, after 17 seasons as Northwestern’s head coach.
