Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnett Jr.’s death was confirmed Nov. 29, according to NBC News, two days after the school issued a retraction for prematurely announcing his passing.
A college football star has met a tragic fate.
Weeks after sustaining a head injury during a football game, Alabama A&M Bulldogs player Medrick Burnett Jr. was pronounced dead Nov. 27, Jefferson County deputy coroner AJ Clifton confirmed to NBC News Nov. 29. Clifton did not elaborate on the linebacker’s cause of death, according to the outlet.
The 20-year-old athlete sustained a head injury Oct. 26 during a football game against Alabama State University in the Magic City Classic, NBC News reported.
“He had several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain,” Burnett’s sister Dominece James explained on a GoFundMe page created to support his recovery. “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.”
Two days before Burnett’s passing was confirmed, the university mistakenly released a statement on their website saying he had died, citing an “immediate family member” who had informed the faculty of his death.
“Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete,” Alabama A&M athletics director Dr. Paul A. Bryant said in the Nov. 27 statement. “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.”
Hours later, the statement was deleted and the school issued a retraction.
“Our staff acted accordingly to the wishes of the family member to inform the A&M community and beyond of this unfortunate occurrence,” the school said, per ESPN. “Upon hearing from a representative from UAB Hospital this afternoon, we learned that he remains alive. We express our immediate regret for disseminating false information.”
(E! News and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
