Lessons from Korey Stringer's death led to cold water immersion tubs by every NFL practice field

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Korey Stringer's death from heat stroke in 2001 after he collapsed at practice with the Minnesota Vikings prompted many changes to safety protocols across all levels of sports.

There's no lesson learned more vital than this: Cool first, transport second.

Almost an hour and a half passed from when Stringer exited a blocking drill during training camp and arrived by ambulance at a hospital with a core body temperature of 108.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Though he was moved to an air-conditioned trailer by the practice field that morning in Mankato, Minnesota, the lack of effective diagnosis and treatment by the team's medical staff during that time made his outlook all the more dire. About 15 hours after he collapsed, Stringer was pronounced dead, the only known NFL player to die from exertional heat stroke.

“I’ve been an expert witness in 85 court cases of people dying from heat stroke, and in every single one the person didn’t need to die if they were properly treated and cooled,” said Douglas Casa, the executive director of the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut that was established in 2010 as part of the settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit his family brought against the league. “With a $150 tub of ice and water, these people would still be alive.”

Casa got connected with Stringer's widow, Kelci Stringer, and agent, Jimmy Gould, through the litigation. The professor of kinesiology had a personal interest in the subject of heat safety, from his own brush with death at age 16 while running a 10-kilometer race at the Empire State Games in New York.

Casa collapsed on the final lap with 200 meters remaining, got back up and fell again with about 80 meters to go. He was unconscious for two hours.

Fortunately, a quick-thinking physician placed him in a cold water immersion tub. Though that came after he was taken to a hospital, the effective on-site care he received from an athletic trainer and in the ambulance from emergency medical technicians gave him a fighting chance to survive.

“If Korey had gone in a cold immersion tub, we would not be chatting right now,” Casa said in a recent interview. “He would’ve had dinner with his teammates that night.”

Casa, who is on the NFL's general medical committee, regularly advises the league on player safety matters. The mandatory presence of cold tubs near the practice fields for every team, one of many protocols enhanced in the 25 years since Stringer's death, can be traced to the work that's been done in his honor.

“When I tell Korey’s story, it takes it from such a sad, morbid place to a place of such action,” Kelci Stringer said. “It’s better to be proactive than reactive.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

FILE - Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Korey Stringer leaves the field on Nov. 12, 2000, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid, File)

FILE - Dr. Douglas Casa, CEO, Korey Stringer Institute, speaks during an NFL safety news conference at the NFL football meetings, March 27, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

Minnesota Vikings tackle Ryan Van Demark (72) hydrates during the team's NFL football training camp Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Detroit Lions running back Jabari Small drinks water to cool off from the heat during a NFL football training camp practice in Allen Park, Mich., Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Harris II and Matt Olson hit long home runs and the Atlanta Braves pulled away from the Washington Nationals in a 6-2 victory on Friday night.

Olson was 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored and Jim Jarvis was 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Mauricio Dubón had two hits and two runs scored for the first-place Braves, who are 10-5 since the All-Star break.

Nationals starter Foster Griffin (12-3) struggled in what could have been his final start for the Nationals. Trade speculation has surrounded the 30-year-old left-handed rookie, who entered with a 2.76 ERA in 21 starts. Griffin gave up six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, including the home runs to Olson and Harris.

Bryce Elder (7-6) recorded his 12th quality start of the season, allowing one run in six innings. He gave up four hits and three walks. Elieser Hernández threw three scoreless innings for his first career save.

Harris broke the game open with a 421-foot three-run homer in the sixth inning that landed inside the Chop House restaurant in right field and gave the Braves a 5-1 lead. It was his 20th home run of the season, matching his career-high.

Atlanta native C.J. Abrams hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his 28th. Andrés Chaparro hit a ninth inning home run, which gave the Nationals a franchise-record 50 home runs in the month of July.

The Nationals are 0 for 17 with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series.

Washington first baseman Luis García Jr. left the game in the seventh inning with right knee soreness.

Braves RHP Reynaldo López (4-3, 3.64) will face Nationals RHP Miles Mikolas (3-7, 5.65) in the third game of a four-game series Saturday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin, right, reacts on the mound after giving up a three-run home run to Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris II, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris II hits a three-run home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Atlanta Braves' Jim Jarvis hits an RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin delivers to an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Washington Nationals second baseman José Tena, right, catches fly ball hit by Atlanta Braves catcher Joey Bart, as Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews avoids a collision during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)