Former Pitt coach Mike Haywood, who briefly took over the football program in between Dave Wannstedt's departure and Todd Graham's arrival, is asking the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to investigate his firing, according to a press release from Houston's Buzbee Law Firm.
On December 31, Haywood, who had recently been hired as Pitt's head coach, was arrested in Indiana for domestic abuse of the mother of his young son. Pitt quickly fired Haywood. But his lawyers now assert that the university's "rush to judgment" violated its own employment protocol, as well as the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Had Pitt conducted even a cursory investigation, it would have determined that the alleged incident simply did not occur as reported, and the termination would not have occurred. We are exploring other motives for Pitt’s firing of Coach Haywood.
Haywood characterizes the allegations against him as "completely false." Haywood did, however, admit in February to grabbing the woman he was accused of abusing, and that she fell and was injured as she tried to get away. The woman called 911, but did not want Haywood to be arrested.