A prominent NFL head coach is currently facing a massive lawsuit stemming from a stunning hacking scandal.
The shocking legal action revolves explicitly around a sexual predator who was allowed to stay on the coaching staff even after being caught red-handed.
Specifically, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan have been named in the lawsuit.
Former Michigan assistant coach Matt Weiss is accused of hacking into thousands of college athletes’ accounts to steal intimate photos.
Harbaugh and university officials were aware of the disturbing behavior but allowed Weiss to continue coaching during a critical playoff game.
“The university put the interests of the [Michigan] football team ahead of those of the victimized female students, further discriminating against the plaintiffs and class members,” the court filing states.
The class-action lawsuit includes 11 women plaintiffs and names nearly 50 defendants.
It states that Harbaugh failed to properly supervise Weiss, who targeted female student-athletes across the country.
“Had Harbaugh implemented basic oversight of his staff, plaintiffs and the class would have been protected against predators such as Weiss,” reads the updated lawsuit.
According to court documents, Weiss gained unauthorized access to computer accounts at over 100 colleges, affecting more than 150,000 student-athletes and hacking into over 2,000 athletes’ accounts to find private photos.
The bombshell allegations state that a staff member caught Weiss viewing private information on December 21, 2022, just ten days before Michigan’s College Football Playoff game.
NEWS: #Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was added to a LAWSUIT against Michigan and ex-assistant Matt Weiss, who was accused of hacking athletes’ accounts for intimate photos.
The lawsuit claims Harbaugh knew of Weiss’s illegal actions but allowed him to coach in a 2022 playoff game. pic.twitter.com/1iD7Bys2TU
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 29, 2025
Instead of taking immediate action, Harbaugh and university officials allowed Weiss to continue serving as co-offensive coordinator through the December 31 playoff game.
When investigators finally disabled the encryption software on Weiss’ university computer, they discovered thousands of intimate photos and videos.
Weiss has since been charged with identity theft and unauthorized computer access for activities spanning from 2015 to 2023, affecting over 2,000 college athletes and more than 1,300 students or alumni. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Michigan’s Athletic Director Warde Manuel and former university president Santa Ono are also named in the lawsuit.
The legal action criticizes university leadership for placing football priorities over student welfare.
Weiss was finally suspended and then fired in January 2023 after the investigation into his unauthorized email access became public, but plaintiffs argue this action came far too late.
“The university’s delay in taking meaningful protective action until after a high-stakes game sends a clear message: Student welfare was secondary,” said attorney Parker Stinar.
Weiss’ connection to the Harbaugh family runs deep. Before joining Michigan’s staff in 2021, he spent over a decade working for Jim’s brother, John Harbaugh, with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.
After arriving at Michigan, Weiss was quickly promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2022.
When confronted about the allegations, Harbaugh claimed he was “shocked” and “completely disturbed” by the revelations, insisting he only learned about Weiss’ actions after the playoff game.
The Chargers organization has remained silent on the situation. At the same time, legal experts suggest the litigation could extend to the Baltimore Ravens depending on evidence of their knowledge of Weiss’ activities.
