As the scandal that led to Sherrone Moore’s firing unfolded behind the scenes, some Michigan football players say they knew he was having an affair with his assistant Paige Shiver.
According to reporting from The Athletic, multiple players became aware that Moore had been seen late at night at the apartment of Paige Shiver, the Michigan staff member with whom the university later determined he had an inappropriate relationship. Those sightings, described as Moore’s vehicle being present at the apartment complex, raised concerns within the program weeks before his dismissal.
Following his arrest, Moore told police he was engaged in a relationship with the female staffer for “approximately two years,” which indicates the relationship began before he was promoted to head coach in January 2024. Several Michigan players lived in the same apartment complex as the staffer, and one program source recalled seeing Moore there late at night and Moore’s SUV parked at the complex late at night on several occasions. Moore and the staffer were frequently spotted together in public after he became head coach, and footage of the two attending a Michigan lacrosse game aired on Big Ten Network in the spring of 2024.
Michigan officials fired Moore on Dec. 10 after an internal investigation concluded he violated university policy regarding relationships between supervisors and subordinates. While the university did not publicly name the staff member involved, Shiver has been widely identified in media reports as the woman at the center of the investigation.
The revelation that players were aware of Moore’s late-night visits adds a new layer to the controversy, suggesting the relationship may have been visible within the program rather than strictly private. University officials have declined to comment on what players or staff may have known prior to the firing.
The situation escalated dramatically the same day Moore was dismissed, when he was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident at Shiver’s residence. Prosecutors allege Moore unlawfully entered the apartment and engaged in threatening behavior. Moore was released on bond and ordered to avoid contact with Shiver while the case proceeds.
Shiver, who worked in Michigan’s football operations department, remains employed by the university. Her attorney has alleged Moore engaged in controlling and abusive behavior, claims Moore’s legal team disputes.
“Guys over there on that side of the building [where Moore’s office was] 100% knew about it,” the former insider said. “They can deny it all they want, but there’s too many things that happened. If you didn’t know, you’re an idiot — it was too obvious.”For example: When Moore stormed out of his February 2025 staff meeting after the disagreement with Martindale, there was one person that followed him out of the meeting and into his office that day — the staffer with whom he allegedly had a relationship.
Michigan has since moved forward under interim leadership, with administrators emphasizing the need to restore trust and stability within the football program. Players have been instructed to focus on football operations as the legal and administrative matters continue.
Moore has not publicly addressed the claims regarding late-night visits or player awareness, and his attorneys have maintained that he disputes key aspects of the allegations against him.
Flip the pages for photos of Paige Shiver the woman who took down the Michigan program.
