Seattle Seahawks hiring Chris Partridge: Fired Michigan assistant, ex-Ole Miss coordinator makes move to NFL
The former Michigan assistant coach has a new job.
Former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge, who was fired by the Wolverines in November amid the NCAA investigation into alleged illegal sign-stealing, is being hired by the Seattle Seahawks as an outside linebackers coach, per Matt Zenitz. Partridge spent a total of six seasons on the Michigan football staff in two separate stints and was also the co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss from 2020-22.
Partridge returned to Michigan for the 2023 season as the linebackers coach, but was fired on Nov. 17, one day after the university dropped its legal battle against the Big Ten.
Although Michigan did not provide a reason for his termination, Partridge later offered clarity on what occurred in a statement released more than a week after his departure from the Wolverines.
“Unfortunately, the manner in which the termination of my employment and my role as a coach at Michigan has been reported is inaccurate and has resulted in people speculating and making assumptions about my knowledge of, and connection to, the sign-stealing allegations within the football program,” Partridge said, in part, via The Michigan Insider. “I want to be clear: I had no knowledge whatsoever of any in-person or illegal scouting, or illegal sign stealing. Additionally, at no point did I destroy any evidence related to an ongoing investigation.
“As explained to me by Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel in person on the morning of November 17, 2023, and as set forth in my termination letter of the same date, signed by Doug Gnodtke, Michigan Athletics Chief of Staff, I was terminated because of a failure ‘to abide by the University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan Football Program.'”
Partridge first joined the Michigan football staff in 2015 as director of player personnel under new head coach Jim Harbaugh at the time. Partridge was promoted to special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2016 and later moved to safeties coach in 2018.
He left Ann Arbor ahead of the 2020 season to become the co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss alongside former Michigan assistant D.J. Durkin. Partridge also coached safeties for the Rebels for three seasons before returning to Michigan in 2023.
A native of New Jersey, Partridge began his coaching career at Paramus Catholic High School in 2003 before joining his alma mater Lafayette as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator in 2005.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73159237/1479173702.0.jpg)
He spent two seasons as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at The Citadel from 2006-07 before returning to Paramus Catholic as the head coach from 2010-14. Michigan All-American safety and eventual first-round NFL Draft pick Jabrill Peppers is among the list of Division I players Partridge coached for The Paladin.
