The sexual assault allegation that Matt Patricia faced in 1996 was apparently an incredibly well-kept secret.
Patricia played football at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from 1992-1995. When he and a teammate and fraternity brother were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 1996, Patricia was still with the football team working as a graduate assistant. He remained in that role while the case played out, and former RPI head coach Joe King told TMZ he had no knowledge of the investigation until it came to light this week.
“I don’t remember anything,” King said. “It seems as though you always heard things. I used to tell the players, ‘I want to hear it from you rather than second-hand.’ I don’t remember this incident at all. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but Matt Patricia and Greg Dietrich are two of the last kids in the world I would ever expect anything like this to come up with.”
King said he “couldn’t believe somehow I wasn’t notified” that Patricia and Dietrich were indicted and facing sexual assault charges. The case never went to trial, as the woman who accused the two men did not want to proceed and stand trial, according to court records.
Patricia has adamantly denied any wrongdoing and said he never got an opportunity to clear his name, and King takes the Detroit Lions coach’s word for it.
“Absolutely, I do believe him,” he said. “He’s as a high a quality individual as I’ve ever coached and ever known. I find it hard to believe that this happened.”
While the arrest took place more than 20 years ago, it’s somewhat shocking that it was kept so tightly under wraps. Even Bill Belichick, who has always spoken highly of Patricia and helped him make a name for himself, said the Patriots had no knowledge of the incident.
Patricia met with the media on Thursday and passionately defended himself.
