Former coach Nick Rolovich seeking $25M from Washington State for wrongful termination

Former Washington State coach Nick Rolovich is seeking a hefty sum of money from the school over his firing as head coach last October.

Rolovich has filed a $25 million tort claim against Washington State for wrongful termination, according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Rolovich was fired for cause after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, which was mandated for all state employees by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Rolovich, who is Catholic, sought a religious exemption, but that was denied.

Rolovich’s claim was filed on April 27. No formal lawsuit had been filed against the university itself as of Tuesday.

Because he was fired for cause, Washington State was not obligated to pay Rolovich the remainder of the money owed on his contract. He originally signed a five-year deal with the school that would have paid him roughly $15 million over the course of the contract. The 43-year-old wound up coaching just 11 games for the university before his dismissal, going 5-6. He has not coached at any level since.