Georgia High School Football Player Dies After Collapsing at Practice

Georgia high school offensive lineman Rod Williams died Monday, two weeks after collapsing during team practice.   

Per Wayne Staats of the Augusta Chronicle, Burke County High School head coach Eric Parker confirmed the offensive lineman collapsed Sept. 22 and was transported to Georgia Regents Medical Center.

"We were initially told he had some drastic sudden event with his heart," Parker said. "We were hoping and praying he would come back; it just wasn't meant to be."

Additional details about Williams' death were not available in Staats' report, but following the team's practice Monday, Parker noted the young man took a "turn for the worst." 

Parker also told Staats he wasn't entirely sure how the team was going to respond upon learning about Williams. 

"Stuff like this puts things in perspective," said Parker. "We're going to try to keep things as normal as possible. I think as time moves on, we'll be fine. What I'm not certain about is right this moment."

Even though the circumstances are different, the New York Post and the Associated Press published a story Monday, following the death of a Washington state player, noting there have (now) been five deaths involving high school football players this season.