“I Was Treated Badly”: Ex-Baylor Coach Art Briles Reveals What Led to His Sack
Art Briles, the former head coach of the Baylor University football team, has opened up about the events leading to his controversial dismissal in 2016. For years, his exit from the prestigious Texas university has remained a topic of intense debate. In a recent interview, Briles shared his perspective, claiming that he was treated unfairly and harshly by the university’s administration, despite the efforts he put into rebuilding the Baylor football program.
Briles was hired in 2008 to revitalize a struggling Baylor team, which had seen little success in previous years. Over the course of eight seasons, Briles turned Baylor into a powerhouse, leading the team to multiple bowl games and consistently producing winning seasons. His success on the field elevated the program, earning Baylor national recognition for the first time in decades. However, Briles’ time in Waco came to a sudden and dramatic end in the wake of a sexual assault scandal that rocked the university in 2015.
The scandal revolved around allegations that several members of the Baylor football team were involved in sexual assaults, and that the university had mishandled the cases, often failing to take appropriate action. A report from the law firm Pepper Hamilton in May 2016 revealed that the university had neglected to respond adequately to allegations of sexual violence. Briles, who had been with the program throughout the incidents, was suspended and eventually fired by the Baylor administration.
In his recent comments, Briles expressed that he felt scapegoated by the university, which he believes prioritized protecting its reputation over supporting its employees. He suggested that the pressure to cover up the scandal and the media’s intense scrutiny led to the decision to let him go. Briles admitted that while he understood the severity of the allegations, he felt the university’s leadership did not give him a fair opportunity to defend himself or explain the circumstances surrounding the incidents.
“I was treated badly,” Briles said in his interview. “I did everything I could to build that program and give everything to the kids. To be told that I didn’t do enough to prevent something I didn’t know about felt like a punch in the gut.” He emphasized that his primary focus had always been on the players’ well-being and the success of the football program, but that when the allegations surfaced, the university’s response was swift and unforgiving.
Briles also expressed frustration with the lack of due process, citing that he had not been directly involved in any cover-up and had always acted within the bounds of his knowledge and the information presented to him. He questioned why other individuals at the university, such as administrators and those in charge of handling the investigations, were not held to the same level of accountability.
The fallout from the scandal ultimately led to the resignations of several Baylor officials, including the university’s president and athletic director. Despite Briles’ claim of unfair treatment, many believe that the university had no choice but to take action, given the gravity of the accusations and the public outcry. Critics argue that Briles, as head coach, had a duty to ensure that the program upheld a standard of accountability and safety for all students.
Though Briles has maintained that he was wrongfully dismissed, his time at Baylor will always be overshadowed by the events of 2015. As for his future, the once-promising career of Briles remains uncertain, with many in the sports world questioning whether he will ever be able to return to coaching at the collegiate level.
