The Atlanta Falcons have fired assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis following accusations of rape during his time coaching at the University of Michigan — just two weeks after he was hired by the NFL team.
“The Atlanta Falcons have dismissed assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis from his role,” read a Friday, February 27, statement, while his bio has since been scrubbed from the website.
“We are aware of allegations regarding LaTroy Lewis,” the team added in a separate statement. “We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time.”
Podcast host Justin Spiro reported that a woman claims Lewis, 32, raped and attacked her in separate incidents that allegedly took place when he served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan.
The woman apparently shared her concerns with then-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, who is claimed to have dismissed her allegations and offered Lewis a raise. (Moore was notably fired in December 2025 after a high-profile scandal involving a staff member he was having an affair with.)
According to Spiro, Moore, a married father of three, refused to report the assault and proceeded to send the woman sexually graphic messages himself. Moore’s attorney has denied those allegations to ESPN.
Lewis and the woman allegedly connected via a social media dating platform and communicated remotely from July 2024 until December 2024.
In November 2024, Lewis allegedly sent her texts after her trip to Wisconsin to see a football game with friends which said, “I’m going to f*** you up.”
He allegedly wrote in a follow-up message, “I’d f***ing kill you! Don’t play with me.” (They had yet to meet in person at the time.)
That December, the woman allegedly went to Ann Arbor for a work-related event. Lewis is accused of physically and sexually assaulting her at a hotel “under the guise of returning property to [the woman.]”
Following the alleged incident, she reached out to Moore to report Lewis’ alleged assault, but he apparently told her she would need to report it herself. She also documented injuries sustained during a second alleged incident of physical violence in January 2025 after Lewis traveled to her apartment.
“The Ann Arbor Police Department was just recently made aware of allegations regarding a sexual assault reported to have occurred on December 5, 2024,” a police spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News. “The AAPD Detective Bureau launched an immediate investigation into the incident. This investigation remains active and ongoing.”
Paul Corliss, University of Michigan assistant Vice President of Public Affairs, also spoke out amid the scandal, calling the allegations “deeply concerning” while noting “the University launched an investigation of the circumstances and conduct leading to Sherrone Moore’s firing, as well as a broader culture review of the Athletic Department.”
Corliss added, “We continue to urge anyone with relevant information to reach out to the law firm conducting the investigation at @umconcerns@jenner.com.” The University of Michigan VP of Public Affairs said an update will be shared when the investigation is completed.
