Mack Breed, an assistant football coach at John Jay High School in Texas, has resigned after reportedly admitting that he did order two students to tackle a referee from behind during a Sept. 4 game.
During that game, two players hit referee Robert Watts and video of the incident quickly went viral. Exactly who was responsible for this was debated, but ESPN’s Outside The Lines confirmed earlier this week that Breed did admit to ordering the players to hit the official out of anger.
Head football coach Gary Gutierrez also apologized to the University Interscholastic League, Texas’ high school sports governing body, for the incident, reports The Associated Press.
“I think he violated the sanctity of what coaches are,” Gutierrez said Thursday.
Breed, along with other eyewitnesses, have claimed that Watts used racist language during the game. However, Watts’ attorney insists that this is true and the University Interscholastic League also found that there is no evidence of him making the offending comments. Gutierrez said he did believe his players though.
“Since the night of September 4, 2015, I have learned that players and possibly coaches from John Jay High School, among others, have said that during the game, I used racial slurs and insults against John Jay High School players,” Watts said in a statement to ESPN. “I did not do that.”
The players that hit Watts - Victor Rojas, 15, and Michael Moreno, 17 - were suspended, but can return to the school in the spring.
Below is the video of the incident. It has been seen 10.9 million times on YouTube.