San Francisco 49ers Lineman Collapses, Dies After Preseason Game

DENVER (AP) - An offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers collapsed in the locker room and died Sunday morning, shortly after the team played the Denver Broncos in a preseason game.

Players had finished listening to coach Mike Nolan address them in a post-game meeting when Thomas Herrion, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound first-year player, collapsed. Medics administered CPR on him and took him to an ambulance that rushed him to a nearby hospital.

About three hours later, 49ers spokesman Aaron Salkin confirmed that Herrion had died. The cause of death was not immediately known.

"This is a colossal tragedy for the 49ers and the entire NFL community," Salkin said. "We still do not know all the details. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Herrion family."

The death comes a little more than four years after offensive lineman Korey Stringer of the Minnesota Vikings died of heatstroke during a training camp practice on a day during which the heat index soared to 110.

Since Stringer's death, NFL teams have increased their efforts to teach players about hydration and how to manage the heat, experimenting with sensors to measure players' core body temperatures.

On Saturday night in Denver, temperatures were in the mid-60s with 50 percent humidity, although experts say heatstroke can occur even in cool conditions.

After the game, Nolan said he had no comments about San Francisco's 26-21 loss to the Broncos.

"There are more important things on our mind than the game," he said. "Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with Thomas Herrion."

Stringer's death was thought to be the first of its kind in the NFL. In 1979, St. Louis Cardinals tight end J.V. Cain died of a heart attack during training camp. Chuck Hughes, a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, died of a heart attack Oct. 24, 1972, during a game in Detroit against the Chicago Bears.

Lots of things can happen to a person during violent contact. Don't look at me that way, I used to play football! I just know that blood clots can be broken loose, etc.

Did you know for instance that your mitral valve, the most important valve in your heart can be torn by violent lifting or straining?

It can happen and suddenly, without warning.

It happened to me, I was lifting a log one day and I felt something strange come over me. I went to the hospital and they found I had a torn mitral valve and said they usually found such tears during the autopsy and it wasn't normal for people to survive a violent tear like that.

My valve was repaired and I am fine now and have been for 9 years but I haven't lifted any logs lately either.

It is unusual for young guys to have something like this happen though. I will ask the church goers I know, and I know a lot of them, to pray for him.

More here.

Associated Press
Posted: 24 minutes ago

DENVER (AP) - San Francisco offensive lineman Thomas Herrion collapsed in the locker room and died Sunday morning, shortly after the 49ers played the Denver Broncos in a preseason game.

He was 23.

Herrion, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound guard, was on the field for San Francisco's 14-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a touchdown with 2 seconds left.

According to a report posted on the San Francisco Chronicle's Web site, Herrion was seen walking off the field at the end of the game in seemingly good condition. He collapsed in the locker room a little before 11 p.m. local time, the report said.

Players had finished listening to coach Mike Nolan address them in a postgame meeting when Herrion collapsed. Medics administered CPR on him and took him to an ambulance that rushed him to a nearby hospital.

About three hours later, 49ers spokesman Aaron Salkin confirmed that Herrion had died. The cause of death was not immediately known.

"This is a colossal tragedy for the 49ers and the entire NFL community," Salkin said. "We still do not know all the details. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Herrion family."

The report by the Chronicle addd that Nolan informed Herrion's teammates at the airport, where they were preparing to depart for San Francisco.

The 49ers released this statement, which was obtained by the Chronicle:

"Thomas Herrion, a first-year guard on the 49ers, collapsed in the locker room following the game. He was immediately treated by team physicians, the medical staff and paramedics. He was then transported to St. Anthony's Central. We received word later that he passed away. This is a colossal tragedy for the 49ers and the entire NFL community. We still do not know all of the details. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Herrion family."

The death comes a little more than four years after offensive lineman Korey Stringer of the Minnesota Vikings died of heatstroke during a training camp practice on a day during which the heat index soared to 110.

Since Stringer's death, NFL teams have increased their efforts to teach players about hydration and how to manage the heat. They have been experimenting with sensors to measure players' core body temperatures, although those by themselves wouldn't be able to prevent a heat-related death.

Temperatures were in the mid-60s with 50 percent humidity Saturday night in Denver, although experts say heatstroke can occur even in cool conditions.

After the game, Nolan said he had no comments about San Francisco's 26-21 loss to the Broncos.

"There are more important things on our mind than the game," he said. "Right now, our thoughts and prayers are with Thomas Herrion."

Shortly after that statement, the Niners got dressed and boarded buses that took them to the Denver airport for their flight back to California.

"We didn't see anything happen," Niners defensive lineman Marques Douglas said. "I sat by my locker and prayed for him."

Herrion, a first-year player with the 49ers, played college football at Utah State University and spent part of last season on the San Francisco and Dallas practice squads and also played this season with the Hamburg Sea Dogs of NFL Europe.

Stringer's death was thought to be the first of its kind in the NFL. In 1979, St. Louis Cardinals tight end J.V. Cain died of a heart attack during training camp. Chuck Hughes, a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, died of a heart attack Oct. 24, 1972, during a game in Detroit against the Chicago Bears.

In April, Arena Football League player Al Lucas of the Los Angeles Avengers died of a spinal-cord injury he endured while making a tackle.

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/4693404?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=0

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