Tae-Gyun Kim / APNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald speaks to the media at the Big Ten media days on July 25, 2016.
Julie Jacobson / APPat Fitzgerald holds up the trophy while celebrating with his players after Northwestern beat Pittsburgh 31-24 in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 28, 2016, in New York.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald celebrates a 43-3 win against Maryland at Ryan Field on Oct. 24, 2020.
Antonio Perez / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald arrives at the Dirksen U.S. courthouseto testify at the National Labor Relations Board hearing on February 21, 2014.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald hoists the Gator Bowl Championship Trophy during a Northwestern-Michigan basketball game at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 3, 2013.
Nancy Stone / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald speaks to the media during Big Ten Media Days on July 28, 2014.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiNorthwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald during practice on Aug. 9, 2017, in Evanston.
John J. Kim/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald covers his face with a playbook sheet while watching a play in the third quarter against Duke on Sept. 8, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
Phil Velasquez/baiduhaiNorthwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald speaks at a press conference where it was announced that he and Wildcats men's basketball coach Chris Collins were given contract extensions on April 25, 2017, at the Under Armour Brand Store in Chicago.
John Raoux/APNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald and running back Jesse Brown hold up the Citrus Bowl trophy and celebrate with teammates after defeating Auburn on Jan. 1, 2021.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald during the first half against Notre Dame on Nov. 3, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
John Konstantaras / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald leads the football team as they are greeted by fans and band members as they walk down the newly renamed Walker Way before their first home game of the year against New Hampshire on Sept. 9, 2006. The University renamed the path that the players walk to the locker room in honor of coach Randy Walker who died before the season started.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald signals during the first half of the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2018.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald gets excited as his team plays the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 20, 2012.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald watches warmups at Lucas Oil Stadium before the start of the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2018.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald watches the video board in the first quarter against Wisconsin at Ryan Field on Nov. 5, 2016.
Jim Prisching / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald Sr. gives his son a hug after the announcement was made that he was taking over the head coaching job. Northwestern University announced the former player as its new head coach to replace Randy Walker, who died suddenly the previous week from a heart attack.
Denis Poroy/APNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald lifts the Holiday Bowl trophy after the Wildcats defeated Utah in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 31, 2018, in San Diego.
Anthony Souffle / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald celebrates with his team as they hoist the Land of Lincoln Trophy after beating Illinois at Soldier Field on Nov. 28, 2015.
Chris Sweda / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald reacts after a touchdown by Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde was confirmed by the officials in the fourth quarter at Ryan Field on October 5, 2013.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, left, celebrates as wide receiver Austin Carr scores a touchdown reception in the second quarter against Wisconsin at Ryan Field on Nov. 5, 2016.
Chris Sweda / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald and quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) on the sideline after Thorson's long touchdown run in the first half of a game against Stanford on September 5, 2015.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald talks with his team at the end of a spring practice on April 5, 2014.
John J. Kim / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald enters the field with his team for a game against Wisconsin at Ryan Field on Nov. 21, 2020.
Bonnie Trafelet / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald walks off the field following a 41-38 loss to Michigan State at Ryan Field on October 21, 2006.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald watches as his kicker misses a potential game-winning field goal in the final minute against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 20, 2012 at Ryan Field.
DAVID BOE / Associated PressNorthwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald (51) and another Wildcat bring Penn State's Stephen Pitts to a stop on Nov. 4, 1995.
Nuccio DiNuzzo / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald gives a thumbs up after participating in the Shoot the Puck promotion during a game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators on April 7, 2013.
Armando L. Sanchez / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald talks with Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Kenny Bell after losing to Nebraska 38-17 at Ryan Field on Oct. 18, 2014.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald yells to his team in the second quarter of the Big Ten title game against Ohio State on Dec. 19, 2020.
Phil Velasquez / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald announces his signing class at Ditka's restaurant on Feb. 5, 2014.
John J. Kim/baiduhaiNorthwesterncoach Pat Fitzgerald squats on the sideline in the first quarter against Wisconsin on Oct. 27, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
Chris Sweda / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald walks off the field after a season-opening 31-24 loss to California at Ryan Field on Aug. 30, 2014.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald takes the field arm-in-arm with players (left to right) quarterback Kain Colter, linebacker David Nwabuisi and offensive lineman Brian Mulroe on Oct. 20, 2012 at Ryan Field.
Nuccio DiNuzzo / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald during a team practice at their training facility on Aug. 5, 2013.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald during the first half against Notre Dame on Nov. 3, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
Bonnie Trafelet / baiduhaiNorthwestern linebacker coach Pat Fitzgerald talks with cornerback Marquice Cole and safety Frederic Tarver during a game between Northwestern and Penn State at Ryan Field on September 24, 2005.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald huddles with players during warmups at Lucas Oil Stadium before the start of the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2018.
E. Jason Wambsgans / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald gets his new haircut inspected by his son Jack, 4, during the "Go Bald" event for the St. Baldrick's Foundation to battle children's cancer at Jay's Barber Shop in Evanston on March 11, 2009.
Nuccio DiNuzzo / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald, during the first half of his team's game against Syracuse at Ryan Field on Sept., 7, 2013.
Chris Walker / baiduhaiNorthwestern Wildcats football quarterback Clayton Thorson, on a knee at left, listens to coach Pat Fitzgerald in a huddle after practice on Aug. 23, 2018, in Evanston.
Denis Poroy/APNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, right, greets players before the Holiday Bowl against Utah on Dec. 31, 2018, in San Diego.
John J. Kim/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald jogs off the field after a 21-7 loss to Duke on Sept. 8, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
Nuccio DiNuzzo / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the Cubs' game against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field on May 7, 2012.
Jim Prisching / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald stands in Ryan Field at Northwestern University after being named coach after the death of Randy Walker on July 7, 2006.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, center, walks on the field with his players at Lucas Oil Stadium before the start of the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2018.
Charles Cherney / baiduhaiIllinois head football coach Ron Zook shakes hands with Pat Fitzgerald while they attend Big Ten football media day on August 1, 2006.
John J. Kim/baiduhaiNorthwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald walks the sideline in the fourth quarter Nov. 18, 2017, at Ryan Field in Evanston.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald watches during football practice in Evanston on Aug. 12, 2015.
Phil Velasquez/baiduhaiNorthwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald at practice on Aug. 23, 2017, in Evanston.
Chris Sweda/baiduhaiNorthwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald waves to the crowd before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Cubs and Yankees on May 6, 2017, at Wrigley Field.
Denis Poroy/APNorthwestern offensive lineman Trey Klock douses coach Pat Fitzgerald as time runs out during the Holiday Bowl against Utah on Dec. 31, 2018, in San Diego.
Nam Y. Huh / Associated PressPat Fitzgerald yells his team during the fourth quarter of a game against Miami (Ohio) in on Oct. 10, 2009.
David Banks / McClatchy-TribunePat Fitzgerald is shown during the Wildcats' game against Central Michigan on September 25, 2010. Northwestern won 30-25.
Armando L. Sanchez / baiduhaiPat Fitzgerald throws out the first pitch before the Chicago Cubs play the Chicago White Sox in the crosstown classic at Wrigley Field on July 11, 2015.
Tae-Gyun Kim / AP
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Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald speaks to the media at the Big Ten media days on July 25, 2016.
ExpandBy Teddy Greenstein | baiduhai
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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NFL Network insider Ian Rapaport reported Sunday that the Packers will seek to interview Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald for their head-coaching vacancy.
Rapoport wrote that while Fitzgerald “has shut down countless interview requests from the NFL in the past,” this time could be different because of Fitzgerald’s ties to Packers CEO Mark Murphy, who elevated him to head coach at NU in 2006.
A source told the Tribune that no interview has been scheduled because Fitzgerald is focused on preparing his team for Monday’s Holiday Bowl in San Diego against Utah.
Fitzgerald responded to a previous inquiry from the Tribune with a text of “Go Cats!” and “I don’t discuss rumors.”
He reiterated that Sunday during a news conference to preview Monday’s game.
Asked about the “elephant in the room,” rumors of interest from the Packers, Fitzgerald shot back: “About me?”
He added: “I thought (the Tribune) reported that over a month ago. I’ll reiterate my stance: I don’t talk about rumors, number one, and number two, hashtag Go Cats.”
And yes, he said “hashtag.”
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