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In April 2016, four-star commit Jordan McNair chose the Maryland Terrapins as his family for the next four years. A collegiate career that would prepare him for life, for the NFL, and as a physical therapist. However, in his sophomore year, a tragic incident led to his passing, and the whole Maryland community was in mourning. Jordan McNair’s Early Life and Recruitment “A true athlete from the moment he first walked onto the tee ball,” Jordan’s father, Martin, emotionally recalled about his son. Jordan’s Journey: A Letter From A Father, Martin described his son in detail. Being an athlete, Jordan McNair would be constantly on the basketball courts. Until the age of 13, basketball was the choice, but another coach suggested football, owing to his size. A year later, he leaped from the basketball court to the gridiron. A huge guy with quick feet immediately became an excellent choice for an offensive lineman. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad He quickly rose into the spotlight, a celebrated shot. By Junior year, he had received around 200 college offers. Then, in his senior year, the McNair family had to make a decision: “NFL or as a physical therapist.” Ultimately, they chose the Maryland family. However, a pained father grieves, “Our plans did not include his death.” In May 2018, the Maryland offensive lineman collapsed on the ground and tragically passed away two weeks later. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The Fatal Workout: Jordan McNair’s Collapse Under DJ Durkin’s Program It was May 29, 2018. During an outdoor Terrapin practice, the 19-year-old McNair was present on the campus. However, he found it difficult to run a set of 110-yard sprints. With a 106-degree fever, he was barely able to stand upright. Reportedly suffering convulsions and a seizure. “Hyperventilating after exercising and unable to control his breath,” an individual described his situation per ESPN. Jordan McNair showed symptoms of heatstroke. The situation was so dire that the young college athlete needed two teammates to help him complete the 10th sprint. However, it would be an hour after someone dialed 911 to get him medical assistance. “Our preliminary investigation reveals there is an unexplained one-hour time period when nothing significant was done to avoid the complications of heatstroke,” law firm Falcon & Murphy stated in a report. The lack of a swift protocol, including cold-water immersion and the standard treatment, revealed that the university had failed to properly care for him. When Jordan reached the hospital, his body temperature read 106 °F. The doctors brought down his temperature, but he could never recover. McNair was later put into a medically induced coma, but passed away two weeks later. Later, more reports came out highlighting the issues at the university. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad DJ Durkin’s Coaching Philosophy and the Toxic Maryland Culture While the investigations were underway, DJ Durkin was sent on administrative leave. According to the statement released by the university, the head coach was present during the drills when the tragic incident took place. Investigations (in the ESPN report) began on the alleged toxic bullying culture in the locker room. In fact, ESPN reported that the trainers made Jordan McNair walk around 80 yards, despite showing signs of distress. It further added that though Durkin had made errors, he couldn’t be solely blamed for the entire tragedy. The University’s Board of Regents stated that Durkin would be reinstated. Soon, an immediate backlash followed the decision. Eventually, he was fired. “He shouldn’t be able to work with anyone else’s kid,” an emotional Martin McNair said on ABC’s Good Morning America. Each and every word, covered in unending pain. Along with Durkin, two athletic trainers who attended to McNair were fired. Rick Court, the strength and conditioning coach, who was present during the practice, resigned. Marty McNair and Tonya Wilson’s Fight: The Investigation and Lawsuit For nearly two years, Marty and Tonya McNair fought for justice, for a painful closure. In 2021, they reached a $3.5 million settlement with the University. “This has been a long and painful fight, but we will attempt to find closure even though this is a wound that will never, ever fully heal,” they said per ESPN. The investigation and the settlement couldn’t take away Marty and Tonya’s pain, but they spurred conversations regarding the healthcare model. “The most notable was the transition to an autonomous healthcare model, where all team physicians are employees of our university health center,” a statement from an independent review panel read. The focus highlighted the role of hydration and the environment in examining deaths at athletic facilities. University of Oklahoma’s athletic trainer, Scott Anderson, revealed kept a record of NCAA players who had unfortunately passed away from 1998 to 2018. The causes were heat stroke, cardiac issues, and other causes. However, what was horrifying was that most of the linemen suffered from heatstroke. DJ Durkin’s Career Rebound and Auburn Interim Promotion Following his firing, DJ Durkin worked as a consultant with the Atlanta Falcons for a year. The 47-year-old worked as a guest coach to work on defense and special teams. Later, the call and eventually headed to Oxford to serve as the co-defensive coordinator for Ole Miss for 2020-21. The very next time, he arrived at Texas A&M as a defensive coordinator for one season. In January 2024, he joined Auburn as a defensive coordinator. In his second year, he was named interim head coach after Hugh Freeze’s firing, and he is currently vying for a full-time head coach position with the Tigers. Marty and Tonya’s grief cannot be put into words. However, to honor him, they initiated a movement to educate others on recognizing the symptoms of heatstroke. The Jordan McNair Foundation was founded to honor their son’s legacy. “Jordan’s legacy so that his death was not in vain,” they said in a statement per ESPN. His family, friends, and the Randallstown community remember beloved Jordan McNair.
