Washington State football coach Nick Rolowich has been fired for refusing to comply with a state vaccination order.
Rolovich introduced himself as the only non-vaccinated head coach at the Pack 12 conference this summer, when he first announced that he would not be vaccinated by the Washington State deadline of October 18, mandatory for all educational staff in the state.
The cougar coach, who earns 3 million a year, had asked for a religious discount.
“This is a frustrating day for our football program. The health and well-being of the youth in our team was and will remain our priority.
“The leadership of our football team is full of young people of character, selflessness and resilience, and we are confident that these qualities will help guide the event going forward.”
Rolovich addressed his position at school on Saturday after his team’s 34-31 win over Stanford when he told reporters he was “waiting for an email” regarding his religious suit request.
“I don’t think it’s in my hands,” Rolovich said. “I’ve been sticking to it for a long time and I’m confident it will work out the right way.”
Through play, Rolovich coached his team with three straight wins after starting the season 1-3, with a total record of 4-3 and a 3-2 pride at the conference.
Washington’s vaccination policy is the strictest for school staff in the country, as it does not allow non-vaccinated teachers and staff to test for the virus as an alternative.
