by Daniel Johnson
November 30, 2024
Before his death was officially confirmed, the university mistakenly announced it prematurely.
Medrick Burnett Jr, a 20-year-old linebacker at Alabama A&M University, succumbed to a head injury he suffered during the Magic City Classic on Oct. 26.
According to AJ Clifton, the Jefferson County deputy coroner, Burnett died on Nov. 27.
According to The Athletic, the university retracted its original statement that Burnett died on the morning of Nov. 27 after encountering new information that Burnett was still alive.
According to the school, they had been “originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening” that Burnett had died before a representative of UAB Hospital told them otherwise.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s office confirmed in a statement to People Magazine that Burnett did die on Nov. 27, but it was later than originally reported by Alabama A&M University.
According to the coroner’s office, Burnett “received an injury while playing in the Magic City Classic football game” at Legion Field in Birmingham on Oct. 26. Burnett died at a local hospital a month later, and the office also noted in their statement that “all questions pertaining to the death should be made to the Alabama A&M University.”
Shortly after Burnett was injured, his older sister, Dominience James, started a GoFundMe to help with the costs of getting their parents from California to be by his side during his treatment.
In the fundraiser, James briefly described Burnett’s injury and its aftermath on her brother.
According to the fundraiser, Burnett was “severely injured after a head-on-head collision during the game,” and as a result of the collision, Burnett “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.”
On Nov. 27, James posted an update to the fundraiser, “Please pray he is having a tough time but we are holding on til the very end. God give us strength so we can keep the faith.”
As of Nov. 30, the fundraiser has collected $55,850 towards its $100,000 goal.
Several media outlets attempted to contact Alabama A&M University for comment, but none were successful and the university has not issued another statement since its earlier retraction.
Grambling State University’s Vice President of Athletics, Trayveon Scott, told WVTM13 that the loss of his school’s former player was devastating to him.
“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,” Scott said. “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.”
In its initial statement, Alabama A&M’s Athletic Director, Dr. Paul A. Bryant described Burnett similarly, “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. “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.”
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