Northern Iowa freshman tight end Parker Sutherland died Saturday morning at age 18, the school announced. A cause of death was not released, though the UNI officials confirmed to the Des Moines Register that Cedar Falls Fire and Rescue had responded to an athletic facility on Thursday. A call log for the department shows a response at 7:15 a.m. for a report of a non-traumatic unconscious or fainting person at the UNI Dome.
Sutherland, an Iowa City native, appeared in four games for the Panthers during the 2025 season.
“I’m heartbroken,” UNI coach Todd Stepsis said in a release. “No words can express my condolences to Adam, Jill and Georgia (his parents and sister). Parker embodied everything we look for in a UNI football Panther. His talent and potential excited us on a daily basis, but it failed to compare to the type of person and teammate he was. His character, humility, toughness and genuine love of others are what champions are made of. While I’m saddened that our time together was short, we will celebrate the bright light that he brought to our football team for the rest of our lives.”
Sutherland was a second-team all-state selection as a senior at Iowa City High School in 2024. He also played basketball and baseball.
“It is a heartbreaking day for our Panther Athletics family with the passing of our Parker Sutherland,” UNI athletics director Megan Franklin said in a release. “We are devastated — just devastated. The blessing is that we have a Panther family who will hold the Sutherland family, our football team and our athletics staff close as we grieve.”
UNI is scheduled to start the 2026 season at Eastern Washington on Sept. 5.
