Pat Fitzgerald apologizes for middle finger vs Illinois: 'Mom's rolling over in her grave'

Michigan State football coach Pat Fitzgerald apologized on Monday, Oct. 12 for throwing up a middle finger in the direction of the opposing sideline in the Spartans‘ 38-37 overtime loss to Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Fitzgerald made the gesture while amping up the home crowd at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, shortly after Michigan State recovered an onside kick — had it not been overturned due to an offsides call with 7:41 remaining. The Spartans trailed by seven, 31-24, after a 24-yard touchdown pass from Alessio Milivojevic on the previous drive.

Trading places: Pat Fitzgerald, Aidan Chiles the headliners in Michigan State-Northwestern

“My mom’s rolling over in her grave,” Fitzgerald said. “I need to be more disciplined, and I need to be more composed. I do have a passion problem, and I’ve had that for a long time. That needs to be more controlled and not be emotional, and I was emotional. I can’t do that.”

The misstep came during what’s been a difficult first half to Fitzgerald’s first season with the Spartans. 

The former Northwestern coach was one of the bigger coaching hires of the offseason after signing a five-year contract worth $30 million at Michigan State. But his team has struggled thus far to a 2-4 record, with both of the Spartans’ wins coming against Mid-American Conference opponents.

The loss to Illinois dropped Michigan State to 0-3 in Big Ten play.

Fitzgerald was not punished by the Big Ten for the middle finger, but could face some kind of penalty for comments he made about the officiating while discussing the penalty on the onside kick. While Fitzgerald apologized for his flipping of the bird, the energy he was trying to provide for his team and the home crowd in that moment isn’t something he regrets.

“I’m not going to apologize for fighting for my guys, and I’m not going to apologize for fighting for our program and for our school,” he said Monday. “It means the world to be here, it means the world to me to have this opportunity. I’m really proud of their response. I’m not proud of mine, but I’m proud of their (response).”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pat Fitzgerald apologizes for middle finger vs Illinois: ‘Mom’s rolling over in her grave’