Semi-pro team mourns player killed in charity game

PORTLAND, Ind. (WISH) - A Jay County semi-professional football team is mourning the loss of one of their players.

Dave Coleman Jr., 32, died Saturday after he was blindsided during a charity game in Toledo .

“It wasn’t helmet-to-helmet, but the helmet was laid right in the chest.A lot of guys at the time said it was a dirty hit. No, I can’t say it was a dirty hit; it was a football it hit,” said Jay County Panthers Coach Zeb Sutton. “Right when I got to him he collapsed face-down, and I said Dave, but there was no response. The other coach came up and we rolled him over, and by that time we knew it was serious.”

Paramedics worked on the Coleman while teammates and players for the opposing team looked on.

Among the teammates, was Coleman’s brother.

Coleman never recovered from the hit to the chest.

The game was called so the team could travel to the hospital.

“His mom came out of the hospital and said he had two passions in life: playing football with us, and his daughters,” Sutton said.

Coleman was father to five daughters. He lived in Napoleon, Ohio, and traveled two-and-a-half hours to practice with the Panthers in Portland and travel with the team.

His death has caused some of his teammates to rethink whether they want to continue playing. Sutton said he will do his best to keep the team together.

The Panthers are scheduled to practice this Sunday. The team is preparing for an upcoming game against Knightstown.

Sutton said Coleman wore number 58, and the semi-pro football league will retire the number in his honor. The league also plans to pause for a moment of silence at the 58 minute mark each game this year.

Donations can be made in Coleman's name at any First Federal Bank in northwest Ohio.