Former Washington State head football coach Nick Rolovich lost his lawsuit against the university after he was fired for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine during the 2021 season.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice, who was appointed by President Barack Obama in June 2011, ruled Monday that Washington State could not accommodate Rolovich without undue hardship, including increased travel costs and hindered recruitment and fundraising efforts. The university also claimed damage to its reputation.
The university fired Rolovich, along with four assistant coaches, in October 2021 for refusing to comply with a mandate that required all state employees to be vaccinated. Rolovich filed his lawsuit soon after, claiming the university made an illegal termination in part because of "discriminatory and vindictive behavior" by athletic director Pat Chun.
Rolovich claimed that, as a Catholic, he was exempted from the state's vaccine mandate, but his exemption request had been denied.
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However, Rice found no basis for Rolovich's objection to the vaccine on religious grounds.
"[Rolovich] frequently expressed secular concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine to friends, family members and coworkers," Rice wrote. "In the thousands of pages of discovery, Plaintiff does not invoke a religious objection to the vaccine. This alone is a basis for denying Plaintiff's claimed religious objection."
After his firing, many of Rolovich's players spoke out in support of their head coach and the impact he had on their lives.
Former Washington State player and current Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson released an emotional statement in support of Rolovich shortly after the coach's firing in October 2021.
"This man changed my life in so many ways.. A real stand up dude that always stands on what he believes in heart was so pure and a true role model to me and my teammates. Was always bigger than a dollar sign which is the only thing you wrap your fingers around," Watson wrote on X (then known as Twitter). "Everyone bashes this man day in and day out like he is not human or has feelings. Forcing him to have no friends all he had was us and all we had was him."
Former Washington State punter Nick Haberer spoke about the transformative impact Rolovich had on his life that same month.
"Crazy to think that a year ago I was back in Australia not knowing what to do with my life and Coach Rolo took a chance on me. He was my Coach, my mate and most importantly my mentor and taught me valuable life lessons that will always be with me!" Haberer wrote on X.
During a November 2022 episode of "The Jason Rantz Show," Rolovich alleged that around the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, the Washington State athletic director suggested he receive a COVID-19 vaccine in front of the entire football team.
"The AD said, 'Hey, let’s put you on the 50-yard line, we’ll have the team all around you and the doctor will give you the vaccine in front of everybody,'" Rolovich said.
"I said, ‘Absolutely not. I have no desire to do that.’ I wasn't going to make it a circus."
Meanwhile, Rice previously made a ruling that made abortion medication more accessible. In April 2023, Rice ordered U.S. authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the abortion medication mifepristone in 17 Democrat-led states that sued over the issue.
While the states sued in an effort to expand access to the pill, Rice did not go that far. Instead, he blocked the FDA from making any changes to the drug’s access in the states that sued.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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