Bullis Football Coach Cilento Placed on Administrative Leave
Patrick Cilento | MCPD
Update: Bullis responded to MCM’s request for a comment.
“Bullis is committed to the safety and well-being of our community. This week we were made aware of a situation involving a staff member. We took immediate action in accordance with our human resource policies and the staff member is currently on administrative leave.”
Update: Rene Sandler, Mr. Cilento’s attorney told MCM:
“We take these allegations extremely seriously. They will be aggressively defended in court and we fully expect to clear Mr. Cilento’s name.”
The head football coach at Bullis School faces second-degree assault charges after shoving his wife on concrete steps, according to a report filed by Montgomery County police.
Patrick Cilento, 41, of Potomac was charged Monday. Bail was set at $3,500; he was released after posting a 10 percent bond that day, according to online court records.
Court records say Cilento and his wife got into an argument Sunday. The wife tried to console their 3-year-old daughter, when she felt a “sharp shoulder|elbow shove,” the records say.
She was pushed down concrete stairs, and she suffered a scrape on her right elbow, soreness on her rib cage and a bruise on her left knee, the court records say.
“The three year old then asked, ‘Is Mommy OK?’ and said, ‘Daddy hurt Mommy,’” according to the report.
Cilento then left taking the couple’s 6-year-old with him, the records say.
A second-degree assault conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of $2,500.
Cilento has coached Bullis to four IAC (Interstate Athletic Conference) championships in his nine years at the Potomac school. His former star quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, went to Ohio State University and was selected in the first-round of the NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins in April. Cilento played quarterback at Sherwood in the mid-90’s leading them to a Maryland 4A state title in 1995.
It doesn’t excuse his actions at all. In fact, he has even more reason to lead by example. Don’t think that the deterioration in the past few years in unsportsmanlike attitude by Bullis players, staff and even parents hasn’t gone unnoticed by other schools in the stands! Your explanation merely excuses assault and misbehavior.
He is absolutely a Monster for treating in any circumstances the mother of his kids, his wife on this level of brutality. There is no stressful reason to treat someone like this. Also, he might be a star at Bullis but means nothing if there is no respect at home to his own wife. He should not be permitted to go back to Bullis as an example of accountability for the school faculty, parents and students. I will move my child to another school otherwise!
What you smoking
He’s been found guilty of NOTHING….Bullis under his leadership will continue to dominate the IAC… They will also continue to pump out D1 talent.
If you know anything about Cilento you know the man has no moral compass, is nasty to his players, lacks intelligence (e.g., the emails he has written that are full of errors a second grader wouldn’t make). If you know anything about Bullis you know the administration lets him get away with it; the administration (in spite of numerous complaints), takes no action. He terrorizes players (not all but most of them), is verbally abusive and everyone knows it. Look at Bullis’ track record of handling problems with their coaching staff. The administration has a history of questionable use of school funds (which may have led to the firing of the few people in the finance office who did not condone the financial misappropriations). The lack of care for student well-being is part of the culture, as is the lack of ethical standards. Just ask the Bullis administration about their Head of School and his known “indiscretions” such as hosting his mistress in his home or on Bullis-sponsored student field trips. It really is a shame, it used to be a decent school and now it’s nothing but indecent. The allegations against Cilento are disturbing but not at all surprising for those who know him.