Belichick lauds Patricia's 'integrity,' says Pats unaware of sex assault case

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has come to the defense of former coordinator Matt Patricia.

A day after a 1996 sexual assault charge against Patricia resurfaced in The Detroit News, questions abounded as to whether the Lions, Patricia's current employer, or the Patriots knew anything about the decades-old indictment.

"The New England Patriots were not aware of the matter which recently came to light," Belichick said in a statement obtained by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "For 14 years in our organization, Matt conducted himself with great integrity and is known to be an outstanding coach, person and family man. We have always been confident in Matt's character and recommended him highly to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions."

Patricia said Thursday at a press conference the incident was not raised in interviews with the Patriots or Lions.

"I've interviewed for a lot of jobs ... It was never an issue, it never came up as anything because it was dismissed and I was innocent," he said. "It just has never been a part of any process that I have been involved with before."

Patricia says he was falsely accused of sexually assaulting a woman in South Padre Island, Texas, during spring break in 1996. Patricia and a friend were indicted by a grand jury of one count of aggravated sexual assault, but the case was dismissed after the woman said she would not testify.