Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas — the high school football players facing assault charges for blind siding a referee during a game — appeared on “Good Morning America” Friday to apologize for the incident.
According to Moreno, assistant coach Mack Breed told him and another player, “You need to hit the ref. He needs to pay the price.” (RELATED: High School Football Players Face Charges For Brutally Assaulting Referee [VIDEO])
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Both players expressed sincere regret for their actions.
“I would apologize for the mistake that I made,” said Rojas.
“Everyone sees me as this thug or this gangster, I did this because I’m this bad guy … That’s not who I am … Underneath the helmet and the pads, I’m a great kid,” added Moreno. “You put your trust into this grown-up, this guardian, your coach, who’s been there for me. I trust him. I did what I was told.”
Police are still conducting an investigation into the incident.
[h/t: ABC News]