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Controversial football coach Art Briles, fired by Baylor University in 2016 for mishandling Title IX issues, waited nearly six full years before a college team was willing to take a chance on him. But Briles lasted less than a week as offensive coordinator at Grambling State University.
Briles’s hiring was confirmed Thursday; his abrupt resignation came Monday.
“Unfortunately, I feel that my continued presence will be a distraction to you and your team, which is the last thing that I want. I have the utmost respect [for] the university, and your players,” Briles said in a statement announcing his departure Monday, according to ESPN.
Briles, who revived a struggling Baylor team in his eight years there, has been a pariah in football circles since he was fired six years ago after a Baylor investigation found multiple incidents of sexual assault or domestic violence involving 19 members of the team under his watch. Despite his awareness of certain incidents, Briles did not report these matters, ultimately leading to his ouster.
A separate NCAA investigation found Briles not guilty of violating the organization’s bylaws but noted he failed to take appropriate actions when informed of potential criminal activity by players.
It’s unclear if Briles resigned voluntarily from Grambling State or was asked to step down. His quick exit is reminiscent of a similar incident in 2017, when he was hired as an assistant coach by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, only to have the job offer rescinded amid backlash on the same day.
