Source: Fired Michigan assistant to join Seahawks

Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL national reporterFeb 22, 2024, 07:33 PM ET
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- ESPN staff writer
- Previously a college football reporter for CBSSports.com
- University of Florida graduate

Chris Partridge, the former Michigan assistant fired by the school in November amid the NCAA investigation into sign stealing, is being hired as the Seattle Seahawks‘ outside linebackers coach, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday.

Partridge was Ole Miss’ co-defensive coordinator for three seasons before taking over as Michigan’s linebackers coach in 2023. But the Wolverines later determined that Partridge “failed to abide by the university directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan football program or others,” according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, resulting in his firing.

Partridge’s firing was announced a day after Michigan dropped its legal case against the Big Ten, ensuring then-head coach Jim Harbaugh would serve his three-game suspension levied by the conference for violating its sportsmanship policy.

At the center of the suspension and investigation were allegations that former staffer Connor Stalions had scouted teams in-person and recorded play signals to later steal the signs from opposing teams. Michigan did not directly connect Partridge to the allegations in the announcement of his firing.

Partridge also was a Michigan assistant from 2016 to ’19, while new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald coordinated Michigan’s defense in 2021.

News of the Seahawks’ hiring of Partridge was first reported by 247 Sports.