Alabama A&M football player from California succumbs to injuries sustained in a game

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.  — A linebacker at Alabama’s largest historically Black university died on Tuesday after a collision during a game in October that left him hospitalized for a month, according to a statement from the university.

Medrick Burnett Jr., 20, was playing his first season as a linebacker with Alabama A&M University when he sustained a head injury during the annual Magic City Classic against in-state rivals Alabama State University on Oct. 26, according to a statement from the university. He was hospitalized until he died Tuesday night. The university did not specify the official cause of death.

“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,” Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Dr. Paul Bryant said in a statement.

Burnett’s condition deteriorated after he arrived at the hospital, where he was treated for “several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain” according to a verified GoFundMe posted by his sister Dominece James.

Burnett was from Lakewood (Los Angeles County) and transferred to Alabama A&M in 2024 after one season with the Grambling State University football program. He appeared in seven total games throughout the 2024 season, recording a season-best three tackles at Austin Peay State University.