Lions’ Patricia defends himself

Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia said Thursday he was “falsely accused” in a 1996 sexual assault allegation that resurfaced this week, and he indicated that the matter has not been an issue as he has climbed from job to job in the years since.

Patricia held a brief news conference one day after a Detroit News report that he and a friend were indicted 22 years ago by a Texas grand jury on one count each of aggravated sexual assault. They were accused of assaulting a woman on South Padre Island. The accuser did not testify and the case was dismissed.

“I was innocent then, and I am innocent now,” Patricia said.

The Lions said Wednesday night that a pre-employment background check did not turn up the incident. The team said Patricia was 21 at the time and on spring break in Texas. The Lions said they were standing by Patricia.

An NFL spokesman said Thursday the league “will review the matter with the club to understand the allegations and what the club has learned.”

Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford, general manager Bob Quinn and President Rod Wood were at Thursday’s news conference but did not speak.

“I’m here to defend my honor and clear my name. Twenty-two years ago, I was falsely accused of something very serious,” Patricia said . “There were claims made about me that never happened. While I’m thankful on one level that the process worked, and the case was dismissed, at the same time, I was never given the opportunity to defend myself.”

Patricia took a few questions but did not provide details about the day in question.

“I was falsely accused of something that I did not do,” he said.

Cardinals sign deaf fullback: The Arizona Cardinals signed fullback Derrick Coleman to a one-year contract.

Coleman is the first deaf player on offense to play in the NFL and he has spent four seasons in the league. He has played in 47 games since joining the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie free agent out of UCLA.

Coleman played in all 16 games with the Atlanta Falcons last season with a career-high 16 special teams tackles. He spent the previous three years with Seattle, appearing in 31 games.

Raiders release Johnson: The Oakland Raiders have released quarterback Josh Johnson.

Johnson was signed this off-season to compete for a backup spot.