Former Pitt assistant files federal lawsuit over firing

Legal issues, it appears, aren’t just limited to Pittsburgh Panther football players this offseason.

In February of 2014, Troy Douglas opted to leave his post as Iowa State’s secondary coach for the same job with Paul Chryst at Pittsburgh. Chryst left Pitt following the 2014 season to take over at Wisconsin and didn’t take Douglas along with him to be a part of his Badgers coaching staff.

Pitt subsequently fired the assistant, Douglas claims, when Pat Narduzzi replaced Chryst. In a federal lawsuit filed by Douglas earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports, the former Panther assistant claimed that the university violated his two-year contract by firing him without cause after just one year.

According to the suit, Douglas’ contract wasn’t contingent on Chryst staying on as Pitt’s head coach.

From the Tribune-Review‘s report as to the damages being sought by Douglas in the suit:

Instead of making the $240,000 that Pitt promised him this year, Douglas had to take a $40,000 job at Florida State University, the lawsuit says. He is seeking the difference in his pay plus other losses his family has incurred as a result of the firing.

(Photo credit: Pittsburgh athletics)