20-year-old college football player dies from head injuries sustained during game

Alabama A&M University football player Medrick Burnett Jr. died after sustaining a serious head injury in a game, the school announced. 

Burnett was 20 years old. 

The news was announced by Alabama A&M athletic director Paul A. Bryant, who said Burnett died Tuesday. 

“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,” Bryant said in a statement, according to TMZ Sports. 

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“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, a redshirt freshman who transferred from Grambling State this season, sustained a severe head injury in a collision during the team’s game against Alabama State in October. 

Dominece James, Burnett’s sister, had a GoFundMe established for her younger brother, explaining he had brain bleeds and swelling from the injury. 

“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,” James said on the GoFundMe page.

Burnett was a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker who grew up in Lakewood, California. 

He played in five games this season, registering five tackles. 

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