Alabama

High School Sports
AHSAA Medical Director: Football is ‘still safe’ sport despite recent deaths

Published: Aug. 27, 2024, 10:57 a.m.

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Morgan Academy's Caden Tellier died following an injury in the third quarter of Friday's high school football game. (Photo Courtesy of Morgan Academy).Contributed

By Ben Thomas | bthomas@al.com

Veteran doctor and AHSAA medical director James Robinson said this week that, while it is unusual to have two football-related deaths in Alabama this early in a season, football remains a safe sport.

On Monday, family and friends in Selma continued to mourn the death of 16-year-old Morgan Academy student Caden Tellier, who died Saturday after suffering a critical brain injury in Friday’s Alabama Independent School Association Game.

Earlier this month, New Brockton 14-year-old freshman Semaj Wilkins died after collapsing during a mid-week practice. Coffee County coroner Arnold Woodham told AL.com on Monday that he is still awaiting the final autopsy report on Wilkins, who played in the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

There have been at least five football-related deaths nationwide this summer. Robinson, also the retired head team physician for the University of Alabama as well as the current medical director for the AHSAA, answered six questions from AL.com this week about safety of the sport, protocols for students in the AHSAA specifically (the AISA is a separate organization) and what he would tell parents who may be deciding if their children can play football.

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