Fernando Bryant (right), hired three weeks ago as head football coach at Strong Rock Christian in Locust Grove, has been fired over old social-media posts, including one by his wife 3 years ago that showed Bryant holding a bottle of alcohol, 11Alive TV first reported Wednesday.
In a letter sent to Bryant and shared with 11Alive, the school terminated Bryant’s employment. The statement in part read, ‘’… some within our parent community raised concerns regarding your family’s public presence on social media and the internet and questioned whether the postings and information were consistent with our Christian values.’’
The TV station posted an Instagram photo from 3 years ago showing photo of Bryant and his wife, Amber, that Bryant believed was one that the school found objectionable. In the photo, Bryant is holding a container of alcohol.
Bryant told Alec McQuade of 11Alive that he was let go after refusing to resign.
“If one parent or one part of a school can control it that much as far as Christianity, it makes you wonder what times we’re in,’’ Bryant said. “I am a Christian, that’s the one thing that gives Christianity a bad name, when we start passing judgment on each other.”
Bryant is a former NFL first-round pick of the Jaguars who played 10 seasons at cornerback in the NFL. He had been defensive backs coach at Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C. He was defensive coordinator at Creekside Christian in McDonough the season prior and lives with his family in McDonough.
Bryant played at Alabama. He was a member of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XLIII championship team.
Strong Rock started varsity football in 2007 and was 3-7 last season under Tommy Webb. The program has yet to have a winning season.
