Furman football player Bryce Stanfield tragically dies

Bryce Stanfield, the Furman University senior defensive tackle who suddenly collapsed on the sideline earlier this week while teammates were in conditioning drills, has tragically passed away Friday afternoon.

Furman officials first announced Wednesday that Stanfield, an Acworth, Georgia, native and the only child of Teri and Fred Stanfield, had suffered a "medical emergency while attending an early Wednesday morning workout inside Paladin Stadium and now is hospitalized."

"The thoughts and prayers of Furman's entire football program and university community are with Bryce and his family at this time," said Furman head coach Clay Hendrix in a statement provided by the school two days ago.

He had been in critical condition and on life support in an Greenville, S.C.,-area, hospital since he suffered the medical tragedy. 

Stanfield was visited Friday by the entire Furman Paladins football team and was awarded an diploma from Furman University President Dr. Elizabeth Davis. 

A three-year letterman with 34 career appearances and a key role on Furman's 2023 Southern Conference title team, Stanfield was on the side of the field Wednesday morning with other Paladins players unable to participate in drills.

Stanfield also was brilliant in the classroom; he earned four different All-Academic honors, three from the Southern Conference and an All-District recognition from the College Sports Communicators team. 

The news of Stanfield's collapse this week engendered a tremendous outpouring of support from throughout football, from the high school to the collegiate and the NFL ranks, as well as from the erstwhile tight-knit Furman football family.

The entire FootballScoop family sends their sincerest condolences and lifts up the Stanfield and Furman football families in prayer during this