JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Fletcher High School assistant football coach accused of kicking a Sandalwood player during a game Saturday is speaking out, hoping to clear his name.
Jeff McCrone said not only did not kick the student on purpose -- the misunderstanding that he did got him punched in the face by the player's older brother.
McCrone went to the doctor the next day and was referred to get a CT scan to see if there was any permanent damage.
McCrone said video taken at the game shows he didn't kick anyone when the Sandalwood player ended a play coming onto the sidelines where he was standing.
"His arm is extended. He pushes me from behind," McCrone said. "I guess that's where I stepped on him or kicked him or whatever."
McCrone told News4Jax that he wasn't even aware that he'd pushed or had run into a player until the end of the game, when that player's older brother approached him.
"He says, 'You kicked my brother.' I said, 'I didn't kick your brother.' And he's right in my face. He said it again. I said,' Get out of my face,' and I walked away. As I walked away, he sucker-punched me," McCrone said.
McCrone said he was hit on the right side of his face and still feels the effects.
"Headaches. My vision was messed up for a day; I had swelling on my face. It's still tender to the touch," McCrone said.
McCrone said what makes this worse is knowing his 5-year-old son was also on the field -- just feet away from where this happened.
In the days since a news story was aired that detailed the player's version of events, McCrone said his own family has had to defend him.
"Knowing that everyone is looking at me as the guy who kicked the player, I mean, at my wife's work, where she works, people say, 'Why's Jeff doing that? You've got to tell him not to do that!'"
McCrone said since the incident, the man who hit him has apologized. News4Jax stopped by the player's home for comment, but no one answered the door.
McCrone is also a teacher at Fletcher and has been back to school since this happened but not returned to football practice. He said that's only because he's been busy going to doctor's appointments and talking to lawyers. He has not been asked to stay away from the team.
The Duval County School District would only say its investigation continues.
His hope now is to clear his name and move forward. He and his lawyer are discussing legal action, but have not made any decisions.