Referee's Slip Leads to Fractured Leg for College Football Player
An official accidentally collided with East Carolina's David Coleman Jr. during a game, resulting in a broken fibula.
East Carolina defensive back David Coleman Jr. suffered a fractured fibula after a referee slipped and collided with him during the first half of the Pirates' victory over the Temple Owls. The incident occurred when the official ran onto the field to address a situation near the 40-yard line and lost his footing, sliding into Coleman Jr. from behind.
Coleman Jr. fell to the ground and remained on the turf before being assisted off the field by two teammates, who carried him to avoid putting weight on his injured leg. East Carolina head coach Blake Harrell confirmed the injury at halftime, stating that an X-ray revealed a fractured fibula. "Our thoughts and our prayers are with him," Harrell said. "But that's just one of those things. Kind of wild it happens, I'd never seen that from an official."
The East Carolina Pirates went on to win the game 17-9. Coleman Jr. had recorded one tackle before leaving the field due to the injury.