The Northwestern football program announced on Tuesday that after discussions with parents, teammates, and interim head coach David Braun, player representatives will no longer be attending Big Ten media days this week. Bryce Gallagher, Rod Heard II, and Bryce Kirtz were all set to accompany Braun later this week.
The decision comes after the football program and the university’s athletic department as a whole have come under the spotlight for several hazing scandals. The scandal within the football program resulted in the firing of long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
In a statement released by the program, the players said the following:
After talking with our parents, our teammates, and Coach Braun, we have made the decision to not attend Big Ten Media Day. This was very difficult since we were excited about the opportunity to participate in this great Big Ten tradition and to talk about the game we love and the season ahead. But given the recent events involving the Northwestern football program, we did not want our participation to be dominated by the hazing issue and steal focus away from football and the upcoming season.
We are proud members of the NU football program and want our on-field performance and on-field conduct to always reflect the values of the university and our fans.
While the three players will not be attending the Big Ten media day, interim head coach David Braun will still be in attendance. The hazing scandal will likely dominate Braun’s time at the media day. The program will try to avoid a third-straight losing season.
After making the Big Ten championship game in 2020 and winning the Citrus Bowl, the Wildcats have gone a combined 4-20 in the past two seasons. Northwestern has not won on American soil since October 16, 2021. Their 2023 season will kick off on September 3 as they travel to New Jersey for a date with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.