Federal Judge Finds “No Basis” For Coach’s Vaccination Refusal on Religious Grounds

Over the past year or so, numerous stories have emerged about the refusal of vaccine mandates on religious grounds. Various cases have made it clear that Americans have the right to refuse vaccine mandates if they have legitimate religious objections. However, one report tells a very different story – and it shows that people cannot simply claim to have a religious objection to vaccines without sufficient evidence.

Washington State Wins Lawsuit Against Former Coach who claimed Religious Grounds for Vaccine Refusal

In January 2025, it was reported that a federal judge had ruled in favor of Washington State University – stating that a football coach at the school did not have a legitimate reason for refusing the vaccine mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This coach sued the university after being terminated partway through the 2021 season. He was asked to take the vaccine, but he refused to comply based on religious grounds. Before being fired, he asked for a religious exemption and claimed to be a practicing Catholic. However, the university denied his request and fired him anyway. 

It was a risky move, especially given the plethora of recent lawsuits filed by workers terminated under similar circumstances. Many of these lawsuits have resulted in victories for the plaintiffs, often with multi-million-dollar settlements or verdicts. 

Court Found No Genuine Religious Grounds for the Coach’s Refusal

However, the risk paid off for Washington State. A federal district judge ultimately decided that the coach’s objection made no sense for various reasons. First, the judge opined that his continued employment would have placed an undue hardship on the school – causing them to incur significant travel expenses with reduced recruitment and problems with fundraising. 

But perhaps most importantly, the judge found no real basis for the coach’s religious objection. In other words, the judge doubted whether the coach was being honest about his Catholic faith, preventing him from taking the vaccine. 

The parties found many examples of the plaintiff expressing doubts and concerns about the vaccine to his friends and close family. During discovery, various text messages and other communications were uncovered. After examining these communications, the parties could not find a single example of the coach expressing a religious objection to the vaccine. 

Whether he actually felt that his Catholic faith was being disrespected is anyone’s guess. However, according to the federal judge, there was no real evidence of this Catholic faith ever being expressed on record. If the coach did have a religious objection, it seems to have been purely internal. 

A Cautionary Tale that Seems to Have Ended Well for Both Parties

Although the coach lost this lawsuit, his career was largely unaffected. Since leaving the school, he has gone on to coach a different school in a relatively seamless manner. On the other hand, Washington State claims that its reputation has been seriously damaged by this entire debacle, notwithstanding their win in court. 

This should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone who plans to object to vaccine mandates on religious grounds. Although religious exemptions are often legitimate, plaintiffs should make sure they have the necessary evidence to prove their faith-based concerns. This could be as simple as sending texts to close friends and families, expressing why a vaccine could violate your specific faith. 

Following Religious Rights Cases

The question of religious exemptions to mandatory vaccinations has yet to be fully resolved in the United States. The basis of religious rights originated in the US Constitution, but there continue to be various challenges each week that test the exact limits and nature of religious rights in this country. The Universal Life Church’s blog focuses on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases. We strive to detail cases in a way that examines both sides to a matter as well as explains even the most complex issues in a way that can be quickly understood by readers.