Alabama high school football player dies after suffering brain injury during game

An Alabama high school football player died on Saturday, a day after he was critically injured during a game.
Morgan Academy quarterback Caden Tellier was hurt after a tackle in the third quarter of the school’s game on Friday night against Southern Academy in Selma, headmaster Bryan Oliver told Al.com. Tellier, a 16-year-old junior, suffered a brain injury and was flown to the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital on Friday night, Oliver said.
Tellier’s family announced his death on social media.
“Our boy, Caden Tellier has met Jesus face to face. We appreciate all of your prayers, and we covet them for the hard days ahead,” their statement said. “Everyone who knows Caden has known kindness, generosity and love, and true to his nature, he is giving of himself one more time. Lives have been touched by the way he lived and now lives will be saved through his passing.”
Alabama Independent School Association Executive Director Michael McClendon told CBS News in a statement Sunday that “it is believed that Caden suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his brain following a routine play in which he was carrying the ball and was tackled to the ground,” but noted the school was “still in the process of gathering details about the accident” and that “it may be quite a while before we know more information regarding his injury.”
In a statement on the school’s Facebook page, Oliver also confirmed the teen’s death, saying he was a “shining light every day he graced the halls of Morgan Academy. There are no words to describe how we feel as a school community and family,” the statement said. “Caden will never be forgotten for who he was and what he means to Morgan Academy.”
Tellier was a two-sport athlete, playing football and baseball for Morgan Academy.
Tellier’s death comes shortly after another Alabama high school football player, 14-year-old Semaj Wilkins, died on 15 August after collapsing during a practice. Two other young football players suffered acute medical emergencies resulting in their deaths during summer football activities.
Morgan Academy announced it is canceling all sports activities for the coming week, including this Friday’s scheduled football game at Wilcox Academy, Oliver said.