Medical report: Minn. football player died on field of congenital heart disease

A high school football player in Minnesota who collapsed and died on the field during a game reportedly passed away of natural causes, per a medical examiner via the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Esko (Minn.) High School football 15-year-old Jackson Pfister died during a game at Aitkin (Minn.) High School on Friday night. A backup quarterback, Pfister was in the game in the fourth quarter with his team holding a commanding lead. Esko fumbled on a fourth-and-short play, Aitkin recovered and as Pfister’s teammates jogged off the field the quarterback was left prone on the surface.

A radio announcer at the game noted on the broadcast that Pfister got up and started to jog off the field, then collapsed again.

The game was stopped as Pfister was tended to and eventually transported to a local hospital, Riverwood Healthcare Center. He died shortly after he arrived.

Now, the initial report from the Ramsey County Medical Examiner claims Pfister died of congenital heart failure. His death has sent a shockwave through the Esko community, with well wishes coming in for the Eskomo football program from across the state, per the Pioneer Press.

“The whole community and staff and players and students, we’re all just sad about the news and our hearts go out to the family and we’re all thinking of him,” Esko Schools Superintendent Aaron Fisher told the Pioneer Press. “Jackson was just a terrific young man and we all think very highly of him and we’ll miss him greatly.”