Vanderbilt Football Assistant to ‘Step Back’ After Pro-Ye Post

The university will continue to conduct an internal review of his social media comments defending the rapper.

Vanderbilt defensive backs coach Dan Jackson will “step back” from his job with the program while the university continues to conduct an internal review into his recent social media comments defending Ye, Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Lee said Monday.

In a statement released Monday night, Lee said that Vanderbilt had received several questions and concerns over Jackson’s comments on Facebook in which he said Ye was “two steps ahead of everyone else.” 

The rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, has shared a string of antisemitic statements in recent weeks, including that he planned to go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.”

“It is important the university follow its standard process and conduct a thorough review of the complexities of this incident,” Lee said in the statement. “Coach Jackson and I have agreed that he will step back from his responsibilities with the team during the Equal Opportunity and Access office’s review.”

Jackson coached in Vanderbilt’s loss to South Carolina last weekend after he apologized for his Facebook comments. Prior to the game, Lee and head football coach Clark Lea issued a statement, saying that the situation was being handled internally.

“To be clear, antisemitism has no place in our society, and I reject all forms of hate,” Jackson wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “I’m embarrassed by my mistake but proud to work at a diverse institution where we can learn from each other’s cultures. I promise to be better moving forward for myself, our program and our institution.” 

Ye’s comments have led brands such as Adidas to end their relationship with him and Peloton to indefinitely pause the use of his music. His posts on social media also resulted in suspensions from both Twitter and Instagram.

Additionally, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown ended their relationships with Donda Sports, Ye’s agency.