West Virginia football tragedy: 13-year-old’s death drives demand for safer headgear

After his son's tragic death, a grieving father urges US schools to adopt Guardian Caps for better player safety

A 13-year-old middle school football player in West Virginia has tragically passed away following a collision during practice. Cohen Craddock, an eighth grader at Madison Middle School, died on Saturday after sustaining a fatal head injury during a practice session with the school's football team, the Redhawks. The incident occurred just three days into the new school year. Craddock was immediately taken to hospital after the injury on Friday, but the Boone County Ambulance Authority confirmed his death the following day.

Boone County Schools Superintendent Matthew Riggs expressed condolences, stating: "As a Redhawk, Cohen was loved by his classmates, teachers, and the entire Madison Middle School staff. He was also a leader of the football team. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and the entire school community."

Cohen’s father, Ryan Craddock, provided further details, explaining that his son collided with teammates during practice, resulting in a fall that caused significant head trauma. "That created brain swelling, which started a snowball effect, ultimately leading to his passing," Ryan Craddock told NBC News.

Cohen’s death marks the third fatality of a student football player in the early weeks of the current school year. In response to the tragedy, Ryan Craddock is advocating for the use of Guardian Caps, a type of extra-padded headgear used in NFL training camps. These helmets were required for certain positions during training in 2022 and 2023 and have been permitted in regular-season NFL games for the 2024 season.

Cohen's family hopes this tragedy will raise awareness about player safety and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.