An Alabama A&M football player has died from a head injury sustained during the annual Magic City Classic game against in-state rival Alabama State back on Oct. 26.
According to the Midland Daily News, the Alabama A&M athletic department incorrectly announced Medrick Burnett's death on Wednesday morning and then sent out a retraction later that day. The second statement said that the initial news of Burnett’s death came “from an immediate family member on Tuesday evening.”
Burnett, a redshirt freshman from Lakewood, Calif., joined Alabama A&M’s team over the summer after starting his college career at Grambling State, according to the athletics department.
Alabama A&M’s Medrick Burnett Jr #51 dies a month after sustaining a hard head to head hit on this play.
— Voice of Reason (@reasonlocker) November 27, 2024
Prayers for everyone grieving the loss of this young man and may he Rest In Peace.🙏
What can we do to prevent this from ever happening again? pic.twitter.com/eGJMlUff0t
Grambling State University vice president of Athletics Trayvean Scott said he recruited Burnett Jr. He said he was devastated by Burnett's death.
“I’m trying to not be overly emotional, man. Medrick is an Alabama A&M current student-athlete, but he's 'Gram fam' for life and, man, it's just really sad. My heart, my thoughts, my prayers, all the prayers on behalf of my president, board and Grambling State University, of course, we extend our thoughts, our prayers, our well wishes. I remember Medrick, he was one of the last student-athletes that we recruited in that 23 class, and I remember his parents coming down and meeting in the weight room and really just encountering him, his spirit, and his personality over the course of the last year,” Scott told WVTM.
