© 2025 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Here's what defunding NPR means for St. Louis Public Radio.
Other

Mizzou football freshman dies after practice

Freshman Aaron O'Neal (photo from Mizzou Athletic Department)
Freshman Aaron O'Neal (photo from Mizzou Athletic Department)

By AP/KWMU

Columbia, MO – A Mizzou football player and Parkway North graduate collapsed at practice yesterday and later Tuesday.

Aaron O'Neal, 19, was a redshirt freshman.

The Columbia Daily Tribune says O'Neal began to struggle with conditioning drills about 45 minutes into the workout. He was one of a dozen players doing non-contact drills at Farout Field. The temperature was around 85.

Teammates later helped O'Neal off the field after he lay on turf after the workout; he was pronounced dead at University Hospital.

He set numerous rushing and scoring records at Parkway North High School in Creve Coeur.

"I can't begin to express how deeply saddened we are by this loss," said head coach Gary Pinkel in a statement.

"We are all very shocked and hurt right now, but the most important thing we can do is to focus on Aaron's family and to assist them any way we can."

Other