UPDATE (5/8/2016):
A reporter for CBS, Lynda Figueredo, confirmed with his family that Greg Bryant did not survive injuries sustained from Saturday's shooting. This story is developing and we will continue to update as more information becomes available.
Derrick Henry, former running back at the University Of Alabama and winner of last year's Heisman Trophy, shared his condolences on Twitter with a photo of the two at the 2013 U.S. Army All-American game.
See original story below.
Former Notre Dame running back Greg Bryant was shot in his car while heading southbound on Interstate 95 in Florida's Palm Beach County early Saturday morning. According to the Palm Beach Post, both Bryant and the passenger in the vehicle, Maurice Grover, were both shot and reportedly found at 4:45am. Both men are currently in critical condition.
Bryant was a former running back for Notre Dame until he was deemed by head coach Brian Kelly as academically ineligible to play for the 2015 season. Bryant left Notre Dame, moved back to Florida in Miami Gardens, and briefly played at junior college ASA Miami. There, he lived in a low-rent hotel room while looking for a second chance to play college football.
That chance was offered when University of Alabama-Birmingham recruited him and enabled him to enroll in January of this year. Bryant talked about the experience of going from being a five-star recruit playing for a top-tier program to retreating back to his humble beginnings in Florida:
“This past year has been the hardest part of my life. Not playing football, going from the luxurious life at Notre Dame and coming back home and living in the hood at Miami while playing JUCO, it’s been real tough.”
He was set to redshirt for the 2016 football season, but had been looking forward to completing his college degree in 2017. “That’s a dream come true,” he told Bleacher Report. “Somebody like me getting a degree where I come from is unheard of.”
The UAB football team is devastated by the news of Bryant being shot and fighting for his life. The team's head coach Bill Clark released the following statement earlier today.
Bryant is 21 years old, and we hope that his dreams are not cut short due to this tragedy. There are no suspects at press time, as well as no motive confirmed. There are still conflicting reports regarding Bryant's status and we will continue to update with more information as this story develops.
Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.
