The Georgia high school football player who died Sunday, two days after an in-game injury in Pike County’s game against Peach County, passed away as a result of a brain injury, per officials who spoke to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
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The mystery now is determining what caused that brain injury, and how it slipped under the radar of coaches and trainers.
Pike County coach Brad Webber told the Journal Constitution that Thomas was wearing a Riddell SpeedFlex helmet manufactured this year. That helmet is worn by some NFL and college players. He was not involved in a tackling play immediately before collapsing on the sideline, adding to the mystery behind his injury and death.
“He was talking and (was) fine and then things went bad,” Webber told the Journal Constitution. . . . “He was the heart and soul of our team.… The sky was going to be the limit.”