The Sports Xchange

The Pittsburgh Steelers conducted an internal investigation and denied tight ends coach James Daniel got into an altercation with a New England Patriots fan during Thursday night’s season opener.

The Steelers said in a statement Sunday that they found no wrongdoing into an alleged incident between Daniel and a Patriots fan during halftime of the game.

“We have conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged incident involving Assistant Coach James Daniel at the Patriots stadium Thursday night,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement. “After interviews with Coach Daniel as well as other personnel who witnessed the alleged encounter, we find no corroboration that Coach Daniel was involved in any physical altercation with a fan.

“Coach Daniel has worked as an assistant coach for the Steelers for the past 12 seasons. We have a high level of confidence in his character and are confident that any further investigation of this incident will reveal he was not part of any assault or misconduct involving a Patriots fan.”

Daniel was alleged to have kicked a Patriots fan in the back of the leg and then yelled at the fan in front of witnesses while the coach was on his way to the locker room at halftime of the Steelers’ 28-21 loss to the Patriots.

Daniel returned to the coaching booth after halftime, and police and NFL security were waiting to talk to him.

The Steelers began their internal inquiry after they were informed of a possible incident by NFL security. The NFL also was looking into the incident.

The 62-year-old Daniel is in his 12th season on the Steelers’ staff and has more than 20 years of NFL coaching experience. He also spent time on the staffs of the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.