College football player Medrick Burnett Jr. dies after head-on collision during game
College football star Medrick Burnett Jr. died Tuesday evening at the age of 20, a month after suffering complications from a head injury during a game, his school, Alabama A&M, 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 a head injury while defending a kickoff in the Magic City Classic, an annual rivalry game against Alabama State on Oct. 26, colliding with an opponent.
“Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,” said Dr. Paul A. Bryant, director of athletics at Alabama A&M, via a news release. “Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership and compassion left an indelible impression on all who knew him.”
“While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side during this unimaginable ordeal.”
Burnett was born in Lakewood, California and attended Mayfair High School.
College football star Medrick Burnett Jr. died on Tuesday evening after a head injury
A photo of Burnett shared via a GoFundMe to help with his medical and housing costs
Former NFL and Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson reported on Burnett’s injury days after it occurred.
“A nightmare for football coaches… a player seriously injured while playing the game he loves,” Jackson said on social media. “I and coach Kenny Delgado recruited Medrick to Grambling State University out of California last year and we proudly placed him in the hands of another great coach, Cedric Thorton at AAMU and although I am no longer his coach, I will always have him support and he and his family have all 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 cerebral hemorrhages and swelling of the brain. He had to have a tube drained to relieve the pressure, and after two days of intense pressure we had to opt for a craniotomy, which was the last resort to save his life.”
A GoFundMe was created to help with his family’s medical and housing costs.
‘Medrick Burnett Jr. will forever be remembered as a Bulldog. His spirit will continue to be an inspiration to us all, reminding us of the importance of unity, resilience and love,” the Bulldogs statement said.