Tribute to Ethan Pritchard After Shooting Incident

A freshman linebacker for Florida State, Ethan Pritchard, was honored after he sustained a gunshot wound during a game against East Texas A&M last Saturday. His father, Earl, reported that Ethan was shot in the back of the head while driving and is currently hospitalized in Tallahassee, Florida.

During the game, Earl Little Jr., a Florida safety, carried Pritchard’s jersey onto the field for the coin toss, symbolizing support for his teammate. The player’s side showed unity, as defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. wore a t-shirt featuring Pritchard’s face while warming up. Pritchard wore a wristband with the number 35, honoring his teammates. Florida State’s head coach, Mike Nobel, mentioned he had checked in on Pritchard earlier in the week to update the team about his condition.

Florida State recently achieved a surprising victory against Alabama, following with a resounding win of 77-3 over East Texas A&M, while Pritchard’s father was present in the stands. This performance may have been a moment of uplift amid personal challenges.

Pritchard, who previously played at Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida, was noted as a strong recruit, being ranked 437th in the 247 Sports Composite and 507th in the ON3 rankings. ESPN recognized him as the 39th national linebacker and 64th in the state. During his senior year, he was pivotal in leading his team to regional finals, notching up 39 tackles over nine games.

Before committing to Florida State in October 2023, Pritchard had received interest from other schools like Miami and UCF. Interestingly, Florida doesn’t have a scheduled game next week; their upcoming game against Kent State is set for September 20th.