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Lions’ Matt Patricia: ‘I was innocent then and I am innocent now’

Photo: WJR

By Michael Stets

ALLEN PARK — As he did in a statement released on Wednesday after a report surfaced about a 1996 dismissed sexual assault indictment, Lions head coach Matt Patricia once again maintained his innocence while speaking to the local media on Thursday morning.

Patricia began his opening statement by thanking Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford, GM Bob Quinn, and team president Rod Wood, who were all in attendance as a show of support, and said, “I’m here to defend my honor and clear my name.”

“22 years ago I was falsely accused of something very serious … very serious allegations,” said Patricia, who was visibly upset and frustrated as he addressed the media. “There were claims made about me that never happened. I am thankful on one level that the process worked and the case was dismissed. At the same time, I was never given the opportunity to defend myself or to be allowed to push back and the truth to clear my name. This was something that was very traumatic to me and I was 21 years old. And once it was finally addressed, I tried to put it behind me.”

In March of 1996, Patricia and friend Greg Dietrich were arrested while in South Padre Island, Texas, while on spring break after a 21-year-old woman accused the pair of breaking into her hotel room and sexually assaulting her. Both Patricia and Dietrich, who were students at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute and members of the football team at the time, were indicted by a grand jury on one count of aggravated sexual assault in August of that year. But after the accuser did not return to court to testify, the prosecution moved to dismiss the case, which was eventually dropped in 1997.

Patricia said his parents raised him “the right way,” and taught him “to stand up for those that have been wronged.” He mentioned his two older sisters, and said he “always tried to protect them and keep them from harm.” The first-year head coach thanked his wife and family for their support and said he tries to share those same values with them.

“I believe, and I’ve always acted, knowing that everyone is someone’s dad, mom, sister, brother, son, or daughter,” Patricia said. “I do not condone any of the type of behavior that has been alleged and I never have. I’ve always been someone who respects and protects the rights of anyone who has been harassed or is the victim of violence and we as an organization will continue to operate that way.”

The goal, Patricia says, of the recent Detroit News report on the 1996 sexual assault indictment—which is currently being reviewed by the NFL—was meant to damage his reputation and hurt those closest to him.

“Thankfully, the truth is on my side. I lived with the mental torture of the situation where facts can be completely ignored, or misrepresented with disregard for the consequence and pain that it would create for another person. I find it unfair and upsetting that someone would bring this claim up over two decades later with the sole purpose of hurting my family, my friends and this organization with the intention of trying to damage my character and credibility. I was innocent then and I am innocent now. Let me be clear, my priorities remain the same: to move forward and strive to be the best coach, teacher, and man that I can possibly be.”

Patricia then answered about a dozen questions during the remainder of the press conference, which lasted a little over seven minutes. He said the past indictment never came up during his interview process, but there was never a time where he did not disclose the truth to the Lions. He then gave some clarity as to why he never revealed the information about his past throughout the course of his coaching career, which began in 1996.

“I started interviewing for jobs 22 years ago in a time when one year after this incident happened when I interviewed, this situation never came up and I was never asked and it was never an issue,” Patricia said. “So, through the course of my career, and again like I said, the case was dismissed, and I am innocent. So as I went through those times it has never been an issue.”

As for what actually happened on the night of the allegation 22 years ago, Patricia would not get into specifics.

“I think what is important on what happened 22 years ago is what didn’t happen,” he said. “As I said, I was innocent then and I am innocent now. I was falsely accused of something I didn’t do.”

When asked if he had consensual sex with the woman who accused him of sexual assault, Patricia said, “Again, I did nothing wrong and that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.”

Although the story of the 1996 indictment has never come up until now, Patricia said he’s “never been afraid to address it. My family has known. I’ve always been truthful.”

Patricia said “the mission right now” is to move forward and be the best coach he can possibly be, and the report of the dismissed sexual assault indictment from 1996 will in no way will undermine his employment with the team.

“I am 100 percent the coach of the Detroit Lions.”