Fatalities
Los Angeles Avengers player Al Lucas died, from a spinal cord injury, on April 10, 2005 in a game against the New York Dragons. Although it might be attributed to the rough style of arena football, the tackle, during a first quarter kickoff, was not very different from those in stadium-played American football. Lucas was 26 years old at the time. It is the only fatality in the history of the Arena Football League.
The only fatality in the history of af2 is Bakersfield Blitz FB / LB Julian Yearwood on July 19, 2003 during a game against the Wichita Stealth. Yearwood came out of the game in the first quarter after blocking a field goal attempt allegedly claiming that he wasn't well, collapsed, and was later pronounced dead at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita after medical personnel worked to resuscitate him. As a result, the game was abandoned in the first quarter with a 7-7 score. Both teams were credited with a tie in the standings.
Read more about this topic: Arena Football