Parker Sutherland, an 18-year-old freshman football player at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) has passed away.
The news of his passing was announced by the school on Saturday, February 14 in a news release, noting, "University of Northern Iowa community is mourning the loss of Panther football student-athlete Parker Sutherland, who passed away on Saturday morning."
However, the reason for Sutherland's death has not been made public and authorities said the decision was taken to respect the privacy of his family.
UNI football coach Todd Stepsis expressed his deep condolences in a statement, noting, “No words can express my condolences to Adam, Jill and Georgia. Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI Football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was."
Praising the player, he added, "His [Sutherland] character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of."
Sutherland was from Iowa City and played in four games for the Panthers in 2025 which allowed him to receive redshirt status.
As a senior at Iowa City High School, he was recognized as one of the top players in the state by being named to the second-team all-state.
