Ryan Fitzgerald Walking On at Iowa

Son of Former Northwestern Coach Chooses Hawkeyes

Ryan Fitzgerald (Photo: Fitzgerald X Account) /

Ryan Fitzgerald grew up watching his father's Northwestern Football teams develop a competitive series with Iowa. Now, Pat Fitzgerald's son has decided to check the view from the other side of the Big Ten rivalry. 

The senior-to-be announced his verbal commitment to the Hawkeyes on social media Friday night. He also reported scholarship offers from Temple, Toledo, Kent State, Northern Illinois, North Dakota State and others. 

For a Wilmette (IL) Loyola Academy program that won the Class 8A State Championship last fall, Fitzgerald threw for 2,690 yards and 34 touchdowns in being named his conference's offensive player of the year. He impressed during his junior highlight video. 

Fitzgerald (6-3, 205) is rated as a three-star prospect, the No. 50 quarterback nationally in the 2025 Class and the 24th-best player overall in Illinois for the cycle in the 247 Composite Ranking. The On3 Industry ranking also sees him as a three-star recruit, the No. 64 QB and 28th in the state. 

Iowa has a commitment from '25 Indiana signal caller Jimmy Sullivan. The Hawkeyes have four quarterbacks on scholarship on their current roster. 

Pat Fitzgerald was the head coach at Northwestern from 2006-2022. He was fired from his position amid allegations of hazing by former players, some of whom recently won a motion consolidating a lawsuit against him.