As of March 28, 2025, there are no verified reports indicating that former University of Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking $100 million in lost earnings. While Pruitt’s tenure at Tennessee was marred by significant NCAA violations, resulting in severe penalties for both him and the university, no credible sources have reported any legal action taken by Pruitt against the NCAA for lost earnings.
In July 2023, the NCAA concluded its investigation into the Tennessee football program, uncovering over 200 infractions during Pruitt’s three-year tenure. These violations included 18 Level I infractions—the most severe category—primarily related to recruiting misconduct and direct payments to athletes and their families, totaling approximately $60,000. As a consequence, the NCAA imposed an $8 million fine on the university and issued a six-year show-cause order for Pruitt, effectively hindering his prospects for future collegiate coaching positions.
The investigation revealed that Pruitt and his staff engaged in a scheme to provide impermissible benefits to recruits and their families. This included arranging paid unofficial visits, covering expenses such as hotel stays, meals, and entertainment. Additionally, Pruitt and his wife were found to have made direct payments to the families of two prospects who later enrolled at Tennessee. One player’s family received $7,600 for a car down payment and rental property deposit, along with monthly car payments of $500 on at least 25 occasions. Another player’s mother received $3,000 from Pruitt to cover medical bills and an additional $300 for gas expenses.
These infractions led to significant penalties for the Tennessee football program, including the loss of 28 scholarships over five years, probation, and vacating 11 wins from the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Despite these sanctions, the Volunteers avoided a postseason ban, partly due to the university’s cooperation with the NCAA investigation and its self-imposed penalties.
Regarding Pruitt’s personal consequences, the six-year show-cause order serves as a substantial deterrent for any NCAA member institution considering hiring him during this period. If an institution chooses to employ Pruitt, it would need to demonstrate to the NCAA why it should not be penalized for doing so. This effectively sidelines Pruitt from collegiate coaching for the duration of the show-cause order.
In summary, while Jeremy Pruitt’s coaching career has been significantly impacted by the NCAA’s findings and penalties, there is no substantiated information indicating that he has initiated a $100 million lawsuit against the NCAA for lost earnings. Any such claims appear to be unverified and lack support from credible sources.