Blount County (Tenn.) Schools has concluded an internal investigation into the conduct of Heritage High School football coach Joe Osovet, confirming that he has been fired as the football coach and will not retain his position as a physical education teacher at the high school either.
According to WATE 6 News, Osovet will be suspended three days without pay and then reassigned to a teaching position outside the high school.
The internal investigation began when sources alleged Osovet “tried to interfere with established concussion protocols.”
According to USA Today, Heritage High School athletic trainers claimed that following a Sept. 25 game, Osovet pressured them to clear a student-athlete for the following week’s game. The student-athlete in question said that Osovet also pressured him to lie to the trainers about his symptoms. Multiple witnesses confirmed this interaction, but Osovet denied the interference.
The school district reiterated that concussion protocols are essential for the health and safety of all student-athletes, and coaches are not permitted to circumvent those protocols.
Director of Schools Justin Ridge said, “The investigation determined that Mr. Osovet engaged in unprofessional conduct and insubordination, including actions inconsistent with the district’s expectations for protecting student-athlete health and safety. These findings are serious and do not reflect the standards of professionalism and accountability expected of Blount County Schools employees. Established concussion protocols exist to protect the health and well-being of student-athletes, and adherence to these protocols is not optional. The professional judgment of athletic trainers and qualified medical personnel must be respected, and no athletic competition or outcome should ever take precedence over a student's safety."
Osovet, who became the head coach at Heritage High School in 2022, previously worked on the University of Tennessee’s football staff as a tight ends coach.
