20-year-old Alabama A&M football player dies after sustaining head injury on the field

Alabama A&M football player Medrick Burnett Jr. died Tuesday after suffering a head injury during a game four weeks ago, HBCU officials said. He was 20.

The redshirt freshman linebacker was injured on Oct. 26 when his Bulldogs faced traditional rival Alabama State in an annual gridiron competition called the Magic City Classic, which pits that state’s largest and most prominent HBCUs against each other.

Burnett played in seven games this season after transferring from Grambling to Alabama A&M.

“Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,” Alabama A&M athletics director Paul Bryant said in a statement.

“Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; He was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership and compassion left an indelible impression on everyone who knew him. Although words cannot adequately express our sadness, we are humbled by the strength of his family as they stood by him throughout this unimaginable ordeal.”

Burnett graduated from Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California, just outside Los Angeles.

“We are praying for his family and teammates during this incredibly difficult time,” Mayfair HS said said in the statement.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.