Texas High School Football Community Reeling After Sudden Offseason Workout Death

A 16-year-old Stevens High athlete collapsed during conditioning drills, leaving teammates searching for answers as officials investigate what happened.

A 16-year-old football player from Texas has died following an offseason workout. / Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Texas high school community is mourning the untimely loss of one of its own this week, as San Antonio Stevens High School football player Jaren Troy Lawson, 16, died early Wednesday after collapsing during an offseason workout, officials confirmed.

Lawson fainted Tuesday while participating in “up-downs,” a high-intensity conditioning drill used to build strength and endurance. Stevens, which went 4–6 during the 2025 season, was conducting offseason conditioning workouts at the time. 

The student-athlete was assessed on site by athletic trainers before being transported by EMS to a nearby hospital, where he died shortly after midnight. 

The Bexar County Medical Examiner later confirmed Lawson’s identity, though his cause of death was listed as "pending."

Family and school respond

District officials said Lawson had a current physical and no known physical conditions at the time of the incident, but added that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

According to multiple people in attendance, Lawson had complained of flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to the incident and he was heard telling a coach during the workout that he wasn't feeling well. The coach, who was not named, encouraged Lawson to continue the exercise, which was considered a normal exercise that the team was accustomed to, according to those in attendance.

Witnesses said Lawson's struggles were apparent before he collapsed, and he attempted to speak and stand after initially collapsing. Sources said players were instructed to continue working out while medical staff attended to Lawson—eventually placing him in a wheelchair and later an ambulance.

Sources said Stevens head coach Anthony Boykin was in attendance at the workout.

Principal Ryan Purtell sent a letter to families acknowledging the deep impact of Lawson’s death and outlining the support available to students and staff.

“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I write to share that our school community has experienced loss within our student body,” Purtell wrote. “We recognize that news of this magnitude impacts every individual differently, and we are fully dedicated to providing the necessary emotional support and resources for our students, staff, and families during this time of mourning. While classroom instruction will continue to provide a sense of stability and routine, we anticipate that the coming days will be challenging as we process this loss together. For many of our students, this may be their first experience with death, and they may look to the adults in their lives for guidance on how to navigate their emotions.”

The district said counselors remain available on campus to assist students and staff, providing one-on-one and group support as needed. Officials emphasized that their priority is both conducting a thorough investigation and ensuring students and staff have access to emotional and mental health resources during this difficult time.

Other Texas high school athlete deaths during 2025–26 school year

Lawson’s death comes during a school year in which several Texas high school athletic communities have also mourned student-athletes lost in unrelated incidents.

In January, Ponder High School senior linebacker Caden Nowicki, 17, died after suffering critical injuries in a sledding accident during winter storm conditions in Denton County, as reported by News 4 San Antonio. Authorities said Nowicki was riding in a kayak being towed by an all-terrain vehicle when it left the roadway, ejecting him and causing life-threatening injuries.

Earlier in the school year, Preston Malone, a 15-year-old Lancaster Early College High School football player, died after experiencing a medical emergency during an August practice, according to Fox 4 News Dallas–Fort Worth. Athletic trainers immediately initiated emergency procedures before Malone was transported to a Dallas hospital, where he died two days later.

---

Recommended Articles

feed