College football star Medrick Burnett Jr. passed away on Tuesday evening at 20 years old, a month after he suffered complications from a head injury in a game, his school, Alabama A&M, has announced.
Burnett was in his first season with the Bulldogs as a redshirt freshman after spending 2023 at fellow HBCU Grambling State.
He reportedly suffered the head injury while defending a kickoff in the Magic City Classic, an annual rivalry game against Alabama State on October 26, while colliding with an opposing player.
‘Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,’ Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant said via news release. ‘Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.’
‘While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side throughout this unimaginable ordeal.’
Burnett was a native of Lakewood, California and attended Mayfair High School.
College football star Medrick Burnett Jr. died on Tuesday evening after suffering a head injury
A photo of Burnett shared through a GoFundMe to help with his medical and housing costs
Former NFL and Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson posted about Burnett’s injury days after it occurred.
‘A football coaches worst nightmare… a player that is seriously injured while playing the game he loves,’ Jackson said on social media. ‘Me and Coach Kenny Delgado recruited Medrick to Grambling State University out of California last year and we proudly put him in the hands of another great coach, Cedric Thorton at AAMU and although I am no longer his coach, I will always support him and he and his family have all of my prayers.’
‘… His 20th birthday was October 27th and one of the worst birthdays for us because he was in ICU and not doing well. He had several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain. He had to have a tube to drain to relieve the pressure, and after 2 days of severe pressure, we had to opt for a craniotomy, which was the last resort to help try to save his life.’
A GoFundMe is set up to help with his family’s medical and housing expenses.
‘Medrick Burnett Jr. will forever be remembered as a Bulldog. His spirit will remain an inspiration to all of us, reminding us of the importance of unity, resilience, and love,’ a Bulldogs’ statement read.
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