Iowa Settles Racial Discrimination Lawsuit for $4.2m

The University of Iowa announced Monday morning that it had settled with a group of former Hawkeye football players in a long-standing racial discrimination lawsuit filed in 2020.

The lawsuit, which was filed after an investigation by law firm Husch Blackwell found evidence of racially discriminatory conduct in the Iowa football program, was settled with the State of Iowa and the University of Iowa for a total of $4.175 million.

Athletic director Gary Barta, head football coach Kirk Ferentz, and assistants Brian Ferentz, Chris Doyle and Seth Wallace were all dismissed as individual litigants in the lawsuit on February 28, which now appears to have been one of the last steps toward reaching this settlement.

Doyle was bought out from his contract with the University of Iowa in 2020 as a result of the Husch Blackwell investigation; Doyle collected $1.1 million as part of that agreement.

Brian Ferentz was also cited internally as part of the Husch Blackwell investigation, but has remained on staff at the University since then — though he has also been given performance standards in order to receive future contract extensions.

According to the settlement, which was first reported by the Des Moines Register, the state will pay $2 million, while the University of Iowa athletic department will pay the remaining $2.175 million.

Kirk Ferentz issued a statement disagreeing with the state's decision to settle. "I am greatly disappointed in how this legal matter was resolved. However, I am grateful for the many players, parents, donors, fans, and others who remained supportive of our coaches and program during this time," said Ferentz.

Ferentz said the settlement was negotiated by the Iowa Attorney General's office, and that the coaches named in the lawsuit had objected to the decision to settle — though they had been removed as individual defendants from the lawsuit prior to settlement.

"Today we move forward," Ferentz said in his statement. "My focus is entirely on the players, coaches and staff as we prepare for the 2023 season."

According to the terms of the settlement, attorney fees and other costs will account for a little over $1.9 million, with the remaining money (approximately $2.2 million) paid to the 12 players named in the settlement:

Darian Cooper
Maurice Fleming
Javon Foy
Terrence Harris
Marcel Joly
Kevonte Martin-Manley
Aaron Mends
Jonathan Parker
Brandon Simon
Reggie Spearman
Laron Taylor
Akrum Wadley

The settlement also covers mental health costs for the former players through March 2024, allows for the former players and other former Hawkeye athletes to receive tuition assistance to finish their undergraduate degrees at Iowa if needed, and sets aside $90,000 (capped at $20,000 per individual) to allow them to pursue graduate degrees, whether at the University of Iowa or elsewhere.

The settlement also provides for up to $35,000 in hourly consultation fees for Leonard Moore, a professor at UT-Austin, to help the Iowa athletic department with its five-year diversity, equity and inclusion plan.

Regardless of one's thoughts on the decision to settle or about any of the involved parties, the most important development to this chapter of Iowa football is that it is now, finally, closed.

The investigation and lawsuit have resulted in bitter and ongoing contentiousness among Iowa fans since the allegations of mistreatment first surfaced in 2020. Today's settlement decision will help all parties to close that chapter and move forward.