University of Texas Special Teams coordinator Jeff Banks is going super viral this week, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he is a top candidate for the Washington State football’s head coach opening.
On Monday, a tweet from Thomas Campbell claimed a “credible source” said that a monkey belonging to Texas Longhorns special teams coach Jeff Banks attacked and injured a young trick-or-treater on Halloween.
The monkey actually belongs to his stripper girlfriend, Danielle Thomas, whose stage name was Pole Assassin. The monkey, Gia, was apparently part of her pole act.
Unfortunately for Banks, if he wants to take that Washington State job, he would have to do so without his girlfriend bringing her monkey along.
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Washington state law says: “It is illegal to possess potentially dangerous wild animals, such as monkeys, bears, tigers and venomous snakes.”
It’s unclear how the internet linked Banks and the ex-performer. The football coach has not addressed the viral story, and neither has the school.
In a series of tweets, Danielle defended her “emotional support” monkey, claiming that the “11/12 year old child should know better then to enter someone[‘s] yard without permission.”
Thomas later deleted her social media accounts but videos of Thomas discussing the incident still exist.
Banks served as special teams coordinator and tight end coach at the University of Alabama from 2018-2021.
