SAN ANTONIO (AP) — David Edwards, who was paralyzed during a 2003 high school football playoff game and whose injury was fictionalized in the TV show “Friday Night Lights,” died here on Wednesday. He was 20.

Edwards, who had pneumonia since late last year, died after slipping into a coma, his grandfather said.

Edwards was a junior defensive back at San Antonio Madison when the fourth vertebra of his neck snapped in a collision with an Austin Westlake wide receiver while they were reaching for a pass during a November 2003 playoff game.

Peter Berg, director and producer of “Friday Night Lights,” was attending the game. In the pilot episode, a high school football player breaks his neck and is paralyzed while trying to make a tackle.


I went to Madison High School and witnessed this story progress through the years. David was a true inspiration to anyone and everyone around him.

Many of you probably played football in some form or fashion or at least pay attention to it. Regardless, I feel that we all hold the utmost appreciation and respect for the game.

Because football is a game that we all know and love, I feel that we as Aggies should pay our respects to a young man whose football injury ultimately claimed his life.

He'd always said he would walk again, and now he can... with Jesus by his side.

Churchill Alum here... The injury happened my senior year... met him once, good guy. Very sad.

My son is a current Madison football player. Though he didn't play with Edwards, the coaches made sure the team was aware of the situation and encouraged participation at Sunday's memorial at Blossom Athletic Center.

It's sad to see any kind of permanent injury and especially death in any kind of game, which, by nature isn't necessary. However, I know that playing football for David Edwards, just like building bonfire was for those who were killed in the collapse, was undoubtedly a passion. You don't put in the work with the intensity that is necessary to play varsity football in Texas unless you love it.

Could you take all the danger out of football without it being like a 3 hour pillow fight? Could you get seriously hurt or killed in a 3 hour pillow fight - choke on a feather, die of a congenital heart condition? I think we need to recognize that there are inherent risks in virtually any sports we play, and coaches should emphasize safe ways to tackle, ways to fall if being tackled, things to watch out for, etc. Referees should have zero tolerance for intentional cheap shots, etc. Bottom line, with everything done properly, the whistle should blow and the kids should play ball. The rest is in the hands of the big guy.

Here!

Samuel Clemens Alum (Schertz) here.

Robert E. Lee Alum. Here.

Former Maverick and Football player. Here.

thanks guys