TCU pulls Fort Worth Star-Telegram's credential after reporting on locker room incident that led to player's dismissal

TCU rescinded the credentials of a Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter this week due to recent coverage of a locker room assault that led to the dismissal of a player, the newspaper revealed Wednesday .

Reporter Steven Johnson had his credentials pulled Sunday due to apparent threats that were made to the victim after the locker room assault on Aug. 13. Johnson was set to cover the Horned Frogs' game against North Carolina on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. He is still headed to Ireland for the game.

The Star-Telegram is the only local news outlet that covers TCU athletics on a full-time basis.

Safety Jacob Fields was dismissed from the team earlier this month after a fight with a teammate in the locker room. Tensions started brewing between Fields and his teammates earlier in fall camp, and Fields reportedly felt "targeted by teammates with insults and threats, including multiple moments when [he] was allegedly spit on by a teammate."

TCU dismissed Fields five days after the locker room incident. The program's general manager called campus police the day after the incident.

While the Star-Telegram has covered the incident extensively, the organization said it did not identify the other player until he identified himself on social media. Junior wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma talked about the incident in a now-deleted Instagram video, saying Fields struck him from behind and that he was knocked unconscious when he hit the ground.

"How you gon' sucker punch me, bro? That's your teammate," Ezukanma said in the video, via the Star-Telegram.

A person close to Fields clarified his view of the lead-up to the altercation days later, and said that he "didn't face bullying or mistreatment" beforehand. Instead, tensions rose due to "competitive football and some questionable plays in practice."

TCU athletic director Mike Buddie blamed the news organization for endangering Ezukanma with its reporting.

"Our primary focus is the health and wellbeing of our student athlete," Buddie said in a statement Tuesday, via the Star-Telegram. "Unfortunately, an unnamed source without first-hand knowledge of the incident provided inaccurate information cited in initial reporting by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which we strongly disputed. "The inclusion of the misinformation advanced a narrative that endangered a student-athlete and resulted in threats to him and his family. These actions led to the decision to withhold the media credential until additional conversation can be held between athletics and the sports reporting team. We remain dedicated to restoring our student to health as well as focusing on the game that's ahead."

"Our primary focus is the health and wellbeing of our student athlete," Buddie said in a statement Tuesday, via the Star-Telegram. "Unfortunately, an unnamed source without first-hand knowledge of the incident provided inaccurate information cited in initial reporting by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which we strongly disputed.

"The inclusion of the misinformation advanced a narrative that endangered a student-athlete and resulted in threats to him and his family. These actions led to the decision to withhold the media credential until additional conversation can be held between athletics and the sports reporting team. We remain dedicated to restoring our student to health as well as focusing on the game that's ahead."

The Horned Frogs went 9-4 last season, the fourth under head coach Sonny Dykes. They will open the season against the Tar Heels in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday afternoon from Aviva Stadium in Dublin.