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Maryland football’s first organized workout of this summer, on May 29, was Jordan McNair’s last. The redshirt freshman offensive lineman collapsed at that workout and died 15 days later.
Since that time, Maryland announced an external review of the football team’s “relevant policies and protocols.” In the wake of reports into this specific workout as well as into the team’s overall player treatment, the school placed head coach DJ Durkin, football strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, football trainer Wes Robinson and head of athletic training Steve Nordwall on administrative leave.
The school has declined to state McNair’s official cause of death, but the website for a foundation in his name and an ESPN report say the cause of death was heat stroke.
NCAA rules distinction: this was a workout, which is different from the preseason practices that started in August. Summer workouts are led by strength and conditioning staff, with coaches prohibited from giving specific instruction.
What follows is what we’ve pieced together from that day, based on reports from ESPN, The Washington Post, The Diamondback, The Baltimore Sun and the team’s own statements.
4:15 p.m.
Workouts begin at the Varsity Team House Practice Fields, according to a school release. These start with players doing 15-20 minutes of stretching and warmups.
In attendance: head coach DJ Durkin, strength and conditioning staff, athletic trainers.
Approximately 4:30-4:35 p.m.
A workout that includes positional drills and 10 110-yard sprints begins, according to a team statement released on July 12.
The Diamondback obtained a copy of the team’s workout plan, which says the 110-yard sprints “were slated to be the first activity of summer workouts, after a standard warm-up.”
“All eligible football players participated in said workouts,” athletic director Damon Evans told reporters at a press conference on the day after McNair’s death.
This is where the school and various reports start to go in separate directions.
Precisely, the school and the account of a few media outlets differ on when McNair started showing signs of exhaustion.
(Emphasis added)
Following the completion of the workout, our trainers noticed Jordan was having problems recovering. They began supporting an active recovery and providing care. He was talking to our trainers throughout.
He was then moved via gator to the athletic training room in the football team house for further observation and continued treatment.
But multiple witnesses at the workout told ESPN that McNair had physical difficulty before the workout ended and needed two teammates to help him complete the 10th sprint.
”There’s no way he finished on his own,” one of the players at the workout told ESPN.
”There were multiple people that said, ‘Wow, Jordan looks f---ed up, he doesn’t look all right,’” the player said. “We knew he was really exhausted, but we didn’t know he was in danger of his life. But that doesn’t mean that a medical professional shouldn’t know to put him in an ice tub.”
Multiple sources said that after the 10th sprint finished, Wes Robinson, Maryland’s longtime head football trainer, yelled, “Drag his ass across the field!”
A second player at the workout told ESPN: “Jordan was obviously not in control of his body. He was flopping all around. There were two trainers on either side of him bearing a lot of weight. They interlocked their legs with his in order to keep him standing.”
It’s not clear precisely how much time has passed.
5-5:57 p.m.
Maryland’s explanation from above likely extends to this period as well, since the school gives no specific times:
Following the completion of the workout, our trainers noticed Jordan was having problems recovering. They began supporting an active recovery and providing care. He was talking to our trainers throughout.
He was then moved via gator to the athletic training room in the football team house for further observation and continued treatment.
However, McNair family attorney Billy Murphy argues for a different perspective:
“Our preliminary investigation reveals there is an unexplained one-hour time period when nothing significant was done to avoid the complications of heatstroke,” Murphy told ESPN. “Although there is some evidence they allegedly tried to cool him down, he should have been iced immediately. He presented at the hospital with a temperature of 106, which means he was not cooled down.”
A Maryland spokesman tells FOX 5 that team officials called a team physician “after McNair fell ill” but before calling 911. That could help explain what happened during this time.
5:57 p.m.
911 is called, per records obtained by The Diamondback. An unidentified caller reports that McNair is “hyperventilating” and “unable to control his breath.”
The Baltimore Sun has audio of the call.
Hospital medical records obtained by The Washington Post say an unidentified Maryland coach told medical responders that McNair was “coming around and started to talk” before he “became agitated and started breathing differently.”
6:02 p.m.
An ambulance arrives with first responders, according to records obtained by The Diamondback and The Baltimore Sun.
Approximately 6:07 p.m.
A first responder relays to dispatchers that there is a “male patient with seizure,” according to an incident report obtained by The Diamondback. The first responder called paramedics, which The Diamondback notes “are separate from ambulances in Prince George’s County and are dispatched to more serious medical emergencies.”
The seizure is the only part of ESPN’s reports Maryland has publicly disputed thus far, telling the outlet in a statement:
“At no point before or during the external review has a student-athlete, athletic trainer or coach reported a seizure occurring at 5 p.m.”
6:08 p.m.
A paramedic crew is on its way to the scene, per records obtained by The Diamondback.
6:36 p.m.
McNair arrives at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, per the county’s report obtained by The Baltimore Sun.
Between 6:36 and 6:53 p.m.
McNair is covered in cold water and ice, according to medical records obtained by The Washington Post.
Hospital records obtained by The Washington Post say doctors determined “McNair had suffered a severe heat stroke, was ‘altered and has no gag reflex.’”
6:53 p.m
Per The Washington Post: Doctors gave McNair an electrocardiogram. They recorded his heart rate as 184.
7:20 p.m
The Post, again: “His temperature dropped from 106 degrees to 102 degrees and his heart rate was coming down,” according to medical records.
8:32
Medical records obtained by The Post say doctors wrote “patient improving” in reference to McNair, and the hospital moved him to an intensive care unit.
Later that night - time unclear
McNair is airlifted to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
McNair also received a liver transplant sometime after that, but we’re not sure on which day the transplant occurred.
June 4
McNair was in “critical but stable” condition.
June 5
A GoFundMe established for McNair’s parents says he has received a liver transplant at some point in the previous week.