Rutgers Athletic Director, a Bergen Native, Out of a Job

UPDATE, 1:45 p.m., Friday: Tim Pernetti has officially resigned. In a letter to Rutgers University President Robert Barchi, Pernetti blamed the university for overriding his decision to immediately fire Mike Rice. 

Embattled Athletic Director Tim Pernetti is out at Rutgers.

The news comes just days after video surfaced showing former mens basketball coach Mike Rice aggressively harassing basketball players at the Division I program. 

Sources told ESPN Friday that Pernetti had been forced out as A.D.

Pernetti, 42, was born in Teaneck, raised in Wyckoff and currently is an Oakland resident. He is a graduate of Ramapo High School.

Ramapo Athletic Director Ron Anello said that the scandal hit home because of Pernetti's local connections.

"I don’t know him personally but from what I understand he is a great guy. I think... he was just trying to help [Rice] and make him better," Anello said. "That’s why he is an athletic director, to make coaches better. I just think he was trying to help his coach and it kind of backfired on him."

Earlier this week Rice, who was at the center of the scandal, was fired; and Assistant Coach Jim Martelli resigned. National media attention, however, didn't seem to abate for Rutgers.

Rice was shown in the video "shoving, grabbing and throwing balls at players in practice and using gay slurs," according to an ESPN report. The channel aired the video Tuesday and Rice was fired the following day.

Much of the public sentiment was against Rice's actions, but some players have defended him.