A high school football coach who was relieved of his duties last year following an allegation he assaulted a 13-year-old student in Maricopa is now accused of verbally abusing players at another charter school in Pinal County.

The incident allegedly occurred after Friday night’s football game at American Leadership Academy in Florence. Multiple witnesses said Brandon Payne, a junior high physical education teacher and assistant football coach, directed profanity and personal attacks at players during a postgame confrontation. 

Payne previously served as athletic director and head football coach at Sequoia Pathway Academy in Maricopa, where he was removed from his position in November 2024 during a police investigation into a complaint that he shoved and yelled at a middle school student.

He had barely worked there half a year.

Troy Rushing, the father of ALA senior football player Brady Rushing, said he was stunned to learn Payne had been hired this school year, pointing out similarities in conduct to what got him fired in Maricopa. 

“I was floored by the fact they hired this guy,” Rushing told InMaricopa. “What about the vetting process? It seems somewhere between lacking and nonexistent.” 

Rushing said the confrontation began during a lopsided senior night road game in Florence. With the opposing team leading 68–0 late in the fourth quarter, his son reportedly urged coaches to stop calling timeouts and allow the clock to run. 

That was when Payne allegedly confronted the 17-year-old on the sideline. 

“Coach Payne came over and said, ‘Shut the [expletive] up, you’re not a [expletive] coach,’” Rushing said. 

He said Payne continued denigrating the teen in front of his teammates, calling Brady “a cancer on this team” and claiming he was responsible for “60% of the team’s problems.” 

A line judge on the home sideline witnessed the exchange and expressed concern, according to Rushing. 

“I can’t believe a coach just talked to a player like that,” the official reportedly said. 

Rushing said his son walked away without responding but was shaken. He reported the incident the same night to Buddy Allen, director of ALA Anthem South, but says no disciplinary action was taken. 

“They told me they were going to take care of it, but nothing happened,” he said. “That’s when I started reaching out to the media. I can’t expose my son to someone that aggressive.” 

With just two games left in his senior year, Brady quit the football team. The family is planning to take their concerns to the ALA school board. 

Late last year, Germanni Hernandez of Maricopa reported Payne to the police, alleging he grabbed and shoved her 13-year-old son during a physical education class at Sequoia Pathway Academy. Hernandez said Payne admitted pushing the student when speaking with school administrators. 

The Maricopa Police Department confirmed a report was filed and said the case remains under investigation. 

American Leadership Academy did not respond to requests for comment today. Payne also did not respond to messages left by phone. 

“There is a line, and he crossed it,” Rushing said. “My son handled it better than most adults would, but no student should have to deal with that from a coach.”