Falcons fire Latroy Lewis amid investigation into sexual assault allegations tied to Michigan

The Atlanta Falcons dismissed assistant defensive line coach latroy lewis on Friday after sexual assault allegations tied to his time at the University of Michigan surfaced on social media and an Ann Arbor Police Department investigation became public. The move follows a team statement that it was gathering information and an ongoing law-enforcement inquiry into a reported December 2024 incident.

Latroy Lewis dismissed by the Falcons

The Falcons announced the dismissal on Friday, saying they were aware of allegations involving LaTroy Lewis and were in the process of gathering information before making the decision to terminate his employment. The team issued a statement saying, "We are aware of allegations regarding LaTroy Lewis, " and noted it would have no further comment at that time. A direct message seeking comment was sent to Lewis on social media.

Ann Arbor investigation and public disclosure

The Ann Arbor Police Department said it was recently made aware of allegations regarding a sexual assault reported to have occurred on December 5, 2024. A police spokesman said the AAPD Detective Bureau launched an immediate investigation and that the investigation remains active and ongoing. The department also noted it does not publicly disclose individual names unless a formal charge is filed.

The allegations were first made public on social media by Justin Spiro, who has been identified in coverage both as a podcast host and as a reporter. Law-enforcement contacts include a Milford police response to a 911 call that was referenced in social posts; Milford authorities said police reports were not currently available. A request was sent to Ann Arbor police for the police report and the protection order tied to the social-media allegations.

Timeline: Michigan, Toledo and recent hires

• LaTroy Lewis worked on the Michigan staff beginning in 2022 and coached at Michigan through early 2025.
• He served as a graduate assistant for the 2022 season and was promoted to assistant defensive line coach for the following two seasons.
• Lewis spent the 2025 season as the defensive line coach at Toledo.
• He was hired by the Falcons earlier this month and was dismissed by the team on Friday after the allegations surfaced publicly.

Alleged victim's account and legal steps

The woman central to the matter initiated a civil action by filing for a personal protection order in Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit Court; a court clerk confirmed the filing but said no documents were publicly available and the order had not yet been granted. Her lawyer said the woman first met Lewis through a dating app, communicated primarily text messages and social media, and met him in person for the first time in December 2024 at a hotel in Ann Arbor where she was staying for a work function.

The lawyer said the woman had decided to end the relationship and met Lewis so he could return gifts she had given him; the alleged assault occurred that night. The lawyer described severe physical assault in their account and said the woman reported the incident to Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore the following day.

Allegations about internal handling and responses

The woman’s lawyer said the woman assumed the head coach would address the matter; the lawyer further alleged the coach told the woman there was nothing he could do and later pursued a physical relationship with her, characterizing that conduct as weaponizing the report. An attorney representing Sherrone Moore called those claims false and said Moore did not fail to report misconduct, did not reward wrongdoing, and did not harass anyone.

Other police contacts and current status

Milford police responded in January 2025 to a separate incident involving Lewis and the same woman; police records indicate officers responded to reports of a loud argument but closed that case for lack of evidence to support criminal charges. The Ann Arbor investigation into the December 5, 2024 incident remains active, and law-enforcement officials have said the matter is under investigation while maintaining policies that limit public naming of individuals until formal charges are filed.

Questions about next steps center on the active investigation and the pending protective-order process. The 32-year-old Lewis, from Akron, Ohio, is a former standout linebacker at Tennessee who played in two NFL games with the Houston Texans during the 2017 season. For now, latroy lewis has been dismissed by the Falcons and the inquiry in Ann Arbor is ongoing; further details may emerge as investigators and courts process the case.