“We have conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged incident involving assistant coach James Daniel at the Patriots stadium Thursday night,” Rooney said in a statement, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “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.
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“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.”
ESPN reported Friday that Daniel was being invesigated by NFL security “for allegedly assaulting and verbally accosting a Patriots fan on the way to the locker room before halftime” in the Steelers’ 28-21 loss to New England. He was accused of yelling at the fan and kicking the fan in the back of the leg in front of witnesses before later shouting at a police officer who had confronted him about the incident.
Daniel, 62, has served as Pittsburgh’s tight ends coach since 2004.
