Former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt was Tennessee’s head coach for three seasons before being terminated in January 2021. Pruitt has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, alleging that he was unfairly targeted in an investigation that led to severe penalties that could have jeopardized his career. The NCAA issued Pruitt a six-year show-cause penalty in 2023 for his involvement in improper payments to players, resulting in a fine of $8 million for Tennessee due to multiple rules violations.
Pruitt’s lawsuit, filed in DeKalb County, Alabama, accuses the NCAA of colluding with Tennessee to scapegoat him for rules violations that led to his firing and show-cause penalty. He is seeking $100 million in lost wages. Pruitt claims that he was unaware of any illicit activities during his tenure at Tennessee and that the university concealed the payment scheme from him despite his proactive approach in reporting violations to then-athletic director Phillip Fulmer.
The lawsuit also alleges that Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman assured Pruitt that he had done nothing wrong. Pruitt’s termination followed an internal investigation by Tennessee, which resulted in the dismissal of eight other football program members. The NCAA’s investigation revealed that Tennessee staff had provided unauthorized benefits to prospects and student-athletes, including cash payments and accommodations during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period.
Pruitt contends that the NCAA penalized him for actions that are now permissible under current regulations allowing players to profit from their image rights. He argues that the NCAA’s enforcement of outdated rules was invalidated by a Supreme Court ruling and that he was unfairly punished as a result. Tennessee had a 16-19 record during Pruitt’s coaching tenure.
During his tenure spanning from 2018 to 2020, former coach Jeremy Pruitt led the school for three seasons. During this time, the team achieved one winning season and participated in one bowl game. The current coach, Josh Heupel, has taken the team to a bowl game in each of his four seasons, accumulating a total of 30 wins over the past three seasons. Following his dismissal, Pruitt has not returned to coaching in college football, with legal claims suggesting he has foregone approximately $100 million in potential earnings. Pruitt’s contract extension in September 2020, amid a challenging 3-7 season for Tennessee, paid him over $4 million annually with a buyout exceeding $12 million at the time of his termination.
