Steelers say James Daniel did not assault Patriots fan

The Pittsburgh Steelers have determined that tight ends coach James Daniel was not involved in a physical altercation with a New England Patriots fan on Thursday night.

Daniel was accused of kicking a Patriots fan in the back of the leg and verbally accosting him on his way to the locker room before halftime of his team’s 28-21 loss. In a statement to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette early Sunday morning, Steelers president Art Rooney II said an internal inquiry determined the allegations were unfounded.

“We have conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged incident involving Assistant Coach James Daniel at the Patriots stadium Thursday night,” Rooney said. “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.”

NFL security was also looking into the alleged incident, but the league has yet to issue a statement. The Post-Gazette reports that no security personnel accompanied Steelers coaches as they went to or from the coaches’ booth at Gillette Stadium, which would have required about a 200-foot walk among fans on the concourse level.

“Coach Daniel has worked as an assistant coach for the Steelers for the past 12 seasons,” Rooney added. “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.”

The allegations against Daniel came not long after a Cleveland Browns assistant coach was accused of assaulting his fiancee. You can read some of the disturbing details from the 911 call here. Back in July, a Buffalo Bills assistant was accused of punching a juvenile boy.

The NFL is surely hoping Daniel was falsely accused.