The University of Maryland has fired two athletic trainers for their roles in the death offensive lineman Jordan McNair, according to Rick Maese of the Washington Post.
Both Wes Robinson and Steve Nordwall were dismissed by the school. Their firing comes one week after the program fired head coach DJ Durkin one day after he was reinstated from administrative leave by the recommendation of the Maryland’s Board of Regents following an independent investigation into the program’s culture under his watch.
According to Maese, the Board of Regents also recommended Robinson and Nordwall be retained by the school after both were placed on administrative leave which is astonishing considering the findings of a separate investigation into the death of McNair.
McNair collapsed during a team workout on May 29. He rushed to the hospital and later admitted. However, he died on June 13 was still hospitalized. According to an ESPN report, McNair suffered a heatstroke.
In the investigator’s official report, Robinson yelled at McNair to “drag his ass across the field” during practice after McNair collapsed. Nordwall waited an hour before he reported McNair’s state to the team physician.
Robinson and other trainers present at the workout failed to “identify escalating symptoms for heatstroke,” according to the report. Strength coach Rick Court was also placed on administrative leave in August. He settled with the school days later.
