Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, the high school football players suspended from their team and John Jay High School in San Antonio for targeting a referee during a game this season, claim that they were instructed to do so by an assistant coach. While appearing on an episode of ABC News' Good Morning America on Friday, Moreno insisted that the attack was actually mandated by one of their coaches, Mack Breed.
"You put your trust into this grown-up, this guardian, your coach, who's been there for me. ... I trust him. I did what I was told," Moreno told host George Stephanopoulos.
Moreno went on to say that Breed had pulled Moreno and another player to the side and told them, "You need to hit the ref. He needs to pay the price." Moreno then passed the message along to Rojas and together, the pair blindsided the unsuspecting referee, Robert Watts.
"His emotions just got mixed into it," 17-year-old Moreno said of Breed. "He told us to do what we did."
The players then doubled down on their assertion that the ref had used racial slurs during the game, something they'd claimed previously, and that Watts had missed a number of calls after another safety had been injured.
Watts has denied using slurs during the game.
Breed, per ABC News, is currently on paid leave. He has not publicly commented on the allegations against himself or his players.
Moreno and Rojas expressed regret over their actions and apologized to Watts.
"Everyone sees me as this thug or this gangster, I did this because I'm this bad guy ... that's not who I am," said Moreno. "Underneath the helmet and the pads, I'm a great kid."
Moreno and Rojas remain under investigation by authorities.
