Ex-Washington State assistant football coach 'stands in unity' with Nick Rolovich, plans legal action

Oct. 22—A former Washington State assistant football coach is following ex-head coach Nick Rolovich's lead, taking legal action after he was fired by the university for failing to comply with the state's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Mark Weber, WSU's former offensive line coach, is alleging that his job loss is a direct violation of his state and federal rights, his attorney said Friday.

"Coach Weber stands in unity with Coach Nick Rolovich and will also pursue legal action for these violations," attorney KrisAnne Hall said in a statement Friday.

Weber sought a religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine. His request was rejected following a blind review by a two-person panel.

Rolovich, Weber and three other assistants — Craig Stutzmann, Ricky Logo and John Richardson — were fired Monday by the university.

"For (Athletic Director Pat) Chun to claim that it would be an undue hardship for WSU Football to grant Coach Weber reasonable accommodations is not based in fact and is contradicted by an abundance of evidence otherwise," Hall said.

Citing instances including religious exemptions that have been granted to WSU athletes, WSU students attending football games and coaches and players on other teams, Hall alleged Chun's decision to terminate Weber "was one derived from discriminatory origins and not from undue hardship."

"Coach Weber is being publicly ridiculed and fired from his job by Chun because of his sincerely held religious beliefs," Hall said. "No one should be expected to abandon their most fundamental rights to keep a paycheck, especially in America."