Alabama A&M Football Player Dies Following Head Injury
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tragedy struck the Alabama A&M University football program as Medrick Burnett Jr., a 20-year-old linebacker, passed away after suffering a head injury during a game last month. Burnett was participating in his first season with the team when the injury occurred during the annual Magic City Classic against Alabama State University on October 26.
The Jefferson County coroner confirmed the official time of death as Wednesday evening but did not disclose further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident. Initially, the athletic department announced Burnett’s death on Wednesday morning; however, they later issued a retraction stating that the information was first communicated by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening.
Burnett, a redshirt freshman originally from Lakewood, California, had joined Alabama A&M over the summer after beginning his college athletics career at Grambling State University. The abrupt loss of Burnett has sent shockwaves throughout the university community.
The Alabama A&M athletic department did not respond to inquiries on Friday morning, leaving many questions unanswered regarding the player’s injury and subsequent passing. As the community mourns the loss of a promising young athlete, his family, friends, and teammates are remembering Burnett not just as a player, but as a beloved member of the campus community.
The loss is a stark reminder of the risks associated with contact sports and has reignited conversations surrounding player safety protocols in football. Further details about memorial services or tributes for Burnett have yet to be announced.
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