Clemson assistant coach issues statement regarding use of racial slur

Danny Pearman released a statement Tuesday evening

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Jun 2, 2020, 9:39 PM

Clemson assistant coach Danny Pearman released a statement Tuesday evening regarding his use of a racial slur during a practice in 2016.

Former Clemson walk-on Kanyon Tuttle tweeted out Tuesday that head coach Dabo Swinney failed to make one of his coaches apologize to the team after the use of the slur during a practice.

“You allowed a coach to call a player the N-word during practice with no repercussions,” Tuttle tweeted. "Not even a team apology. When we had the sit-in in front of sikes you suggested us players try to stay out of it to limit distractions. Stop protecting your brand, take a stand.”

It was later reported that the coach in question was Pearman and the player was former tight end DJ Greenlee. Greenlee told Matt Connolly of The State, “It was just a heated argument during practice, basically. Me and the coach got into it and I was speaking with one of my teammates. He heard me use the n-word basically, and basically tried to correct me by saying the n-word back.”

“He wasn’t saying that I was a n-word. It was, using the tone, in a word like, ‘OK … I was talking to my teammate and you came over here.’”

Pearman released a statement Tuesday evening.

STATEMENT FROM CLEMSON FOOTBALL ASSISTANT COACH DANNY PEARMAN

“Three years ago on the practice field, I made a grave mistake involving D.J. Greenlee. I repeated a racial slur I overheard when trying to stop the word from being used on the practice field. What I overheard, I had no right to repeat.

While I did not direct the term at any player, I know there is no excuse for me using the language in any circumstance. I never should have repeated the phrase. It was wrong when I said it, and it is wrong today.

I apologized to D.J. at the conclusion of practice, who then appropriately raised his concern to Coach Swinney.

Coach and I met to discuss the incident, and he reiterated that my language was unacceptable. I later apologized again as well as expressed my sincere regret to our position group the following day.

I love the young men who choose to come to our university, and I would never do anything to intentionally hurt them. I sincerely apologize to D.J., his family, our team and our staff.”