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A college football player died Saturday after collapsing during a practice earlier this week.
University of Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland was just 18 years old when he was working through a “normal” routine with his teammates and suddenly collapsed.
“I’m devastated …” Northern Iowa head coach Todd Stepsis said in a statement. “Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it did not compare to the type of person and teammate he was. His character, humility, toughness and genuine love for others are what champions are made of. While I am sad that our time together was short, we will celebrate our bright light that he brought to our football team’s rest.”
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Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland died in February 2025. (IMAGN/University of Northern Iowa)
“He embraced the opportunity to play Panther football and represent the university through sports,” added UNI Director of Athletics Megan Franklin. “We are heartbroken – just heartbroken. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team and our track and field staff close as we grieve.”
Stepsis said the team was practicing Thursday morning when they got “through our warm-up and into a routine, normal Thursday, and he collapsed.”
“He’s one of a kind,” said Stepsis. “Just a great person, great family. That’s the type of guy you want to build a team with. If I could have 110 Parkers, I would. We’re not going to be able to replace him, but who he is as a person, he always had a smile on his face. He always made people feel good about themselves. So for us, it’s not about replacing him, but it can help fill something extra inside of him.”
Iowa City High’s Parker Sutherland (88) celebrates a first down against the Iowa City Liberty on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Iowa City High in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen/USA Today Network)
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“Our team, they understand that and they recognize that and they want to play for Parker. They want to live like Parker. They want to make an impact like he did.”
Sutherland, from Iowa City, played in four games his freshman season after being a three-sport varsity athlete in high school.
His bio on Northern Iowa’s athletics page says he enjoyed “video games, watching movies, pickleball and Legos.”
On Monday, a memorial was held for Sutherland outside the UNI Dome, where KWWL said “hundreds” were in attendance.
Sutherland was a three-sport athlete in high school before attending UNI. (University of Northern Iowa)
“I mean the poor kid, he didn’t even know how good he looked. He never did his hair. He wore black on black. It was just, ‘Hey, go back down and change.'” ‘OK’ ‘Why?’ It didn’t phase him. He didn’t care. He didn’t care in the slightest. He didn’t care what he wore, what he bought,” his father, Adam, said at the memorial. “All he wanted to do was eat and sleep and hang out with the guys. That was it.
“And building Legos. Honestly.”
