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A college football player died Saturday after collapsing during a practice earlier in the week.
University of Northern Iowa tight end Parker Sutherland was just 18 years old when he was going through a “normal” routine with his teammates and suddenly collapsed.
“I am heartbroken…,” Northern Iowa head coach Todd Stepsis said in a statement. “Parker embodied everything we looked for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us every day, but he couldn’t compare to the type of person and teammate he was. His character, humility, tenacity and true love of others are what champions are made of. While I am saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives.”
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Parker Sutherland, a tight end from Northern Iowa, died in February 2025. (IMAGN/University of Northern Iowa)
“He embraced the opportunity to play Panthers football and represent the University through sports,” added UNI Athletic Director Megan Franklin. “We are devastated – just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team and our track team close to us as we grieve.”
Stepsis said the team was practicing Thursday morning when they finished “our warmup and a normal routine on Thursday, and he collapsed.”
“He’s one of the only ones,” Stepsis said. “Just an incredible person, incredible family. He’s the kind 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 finding something extra inside that can help fill that void and to fill this void after his departure.
Iowa City High’s Parker Sutherland (88) celebrates a first-round win against Iowa City Liberty on Friday, September 6, 2024 at Iowa City High, Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen/USA Today Network)
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“Our team understands that and recognizes that, and they want to play for Parker. They want to live like Parker. They want to make an impact like him.”
Sutherland, an Iowa City native, played in four games during his freshman season after being a three-sport varsity athlete in high school.
His bio on the Northern Iowa athletics page says he enjoyed “video games, watching movies, pickleball and Legos.”
A memorial was held Monday for Sutherland outside the UNI Dome, and KWWL said “hundreds” were in attendance.
Sutherland was a three-sport athlete in high school before attending UNI. (University of Northern Iowa)
“I mean, this poor kid, he didn’t even know how handsome he was. He never did his hair. He wore black on black. It was just, ‘Hey, go back down and change.’ ‘Okay’ ‘Why?’ This didn’t make him angry. He didn’t care. He didn’t care at all. He didn’t care what he wore, what he bought,” his father, Adam, said at the memorial service. “All he wanted to do was eat, sleep and hang out with the guys. That’s it.
“And build Legos. Honestly.”
