John Jay coach who reportedly told players to hit referee resigns

John Jay High School assistant football coach Mack Breed, who reportedly told his players to tackle a referee on Sept. 4, resigned Thursday.

John Jay High School assistant football coach Mack Breed, who reportedly told his players to hit referee Robert Watts on Sept. 4, resigned on Thursday, reports ESPN’s John Barr.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported that Breed had taken responsibility for the incident and admitted he told his players to target Watts because of his unjustified calls​ and alleged use of racial slurs. But on Thursday, USA Today reported that Breed denied giving those instructions, and claimed that he accepted the blame and resigned in order to protect the boys from being expelled.

Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas, the players who knocked Watts to the ground in the waning minutes of John Jay's 15–9 loss to Marble Falls, took to ABC's Good Morning America last Friday to blame their actions on Breed.

On Wednesday, Moreno and Rojas were cleared to return to John Jay for the spring semester after completing 75 days at an alternative school. They still remain suspended indefinitely from the team.

Breed had previously been suspended from the team throughout the ongoing investigation into the matter.

• John Jay football players say coach told them to hit the referee

- Kayla Lombardo