Steelers say coach did not assault fan
The Pittsburgh Steelers conducted an internal investigation into charges their longtime tight ends coach verbally accosted and assaulted a fan Thursday night during the season-opening loss at New England and concluded the charges are false against James Daniel.
The NFL and Steelers investigated allegations that Daniel, 62, was seen kicking a fan in the back of the leg and yelling at him at halftime of Pittsburgh’s 28-21 loss as he and the other Steelers coaches made their way from the press box to the locker room.
The coaches booths at Gillette Stadium are located in the main concourse of the stadium and coaches go through the concourse on their way to an elevator that takes them to the locker room.
“We have conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged incident involving assistant coach James Daniel at the Patriots stadium Thursday night,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. “After interviews with Coach Daniel, as well as other personnel who witnessed the alleged encounter, we find no corroboration that Coach Daniel was involved in any physical altercation with a fan.
“Coach Daniel has worked as an assistant coach for the Steelers for the past 12 seasons. We have a high level of confidence in his character and are confident that any further investigation of this incident will reveal he was not part of any assault or misconduct involving a Patriots fan.”