SAN ANTONIO – Two suspended John Jay High School football players said in an interview Friday that a coach told them to strike a referee during a game because of missed calls that had hurt the team.
"I was doing what I was told," Victor Rojas said in an interview with "Good Morning America" anchor George Stephanopoulos.
"The coach told you to do it?" Stephanopoulos asked Rojas. "Yes, sir," Rojas replied. Michael Moreno, the other player, also said, "Yes, that's correct."
Rojas and Moreno also repeated earlier claims that the referee had used racial slurs.
He told one of my Hispanic friends, "Speak English, this is America," Rojas said. "Yes, I heard him when he called him, Moses Reynolds, the "n" word," Moreno said.
Moreno said he regrets hitting Robert Watts and wants to apologize.
"I would apologize for the mistake that I made," Moreno said.
When asked by Stephanopoulos if that he could "would you take back the moment," Rojas said, "Of course, without a thought I would."
Video from the game against Marble Falls earlier this month showed Rojas blindsiding Watts, and Moreno diving on top of him.
Watts has denied using any slurs.
The suspended players didn't name the coach Friday. Assistant coach Mack Breed has been suspended by the Northside Independent School Sistrict pending an investigation.
The players' attorney, Jesse Hernandez, said the boys have already paid the "appropriate punishment".
"They've suffered three days of suspension. They've been in alternative school for a week. They're excluded from playing football for the rest of the season. I think that's enough," Hernandez said. "They've apologized. They are way sorry. They didn't mean to do this. I think they've been punished fairly enough."
Northside ISD unaware of players' plans to appear on GMA
Northside ISD released a statement Friday morning stating that it did not know the players planned to travel to New York for the interview.
Read the full statement below:
"Northside ISD did not know the two boys had gone to New York to interview with ABCNews. They continue to be suspended from Jay High School and are assigned to the Northside Alternative High School pending the results of their Disciplinary Hearing."
The district also said a date for its disciplinary hearing has not been set but that it could happen next week.
The UIL State Executive Board will hold its second hearing on the incident Sept. 24 in Austin.