BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A Tampa Bay Tech High School football player was taken off the field on a stretcher after he was stopped by the Viera High School defense.

  • Football player hospitalized after slammed to ground, says coach
  • Coach says player is alert, has feeling in all his extremities
  • The Viera High player involved apologized on Twitter for the play

According to the Tampa Tech Titans football coach, the teen stayed overnight at the hospital. He has a concussion but is alert and feeling okay, the coach said. No bones broken either, and he has feeling in all his extremities.

The Tampa Bay Tech football player number 17 was slammed to the ground, with his arms restrained.

Justin Hoelke played football throughout high school and knows a thing or two about a split second decision gone wrong.

“It was a simple run. He looked frustrated. Players make silly moves sometimes,” Hoelke explained. “He suplexed him, which is illegal even in the NFL.”

Recreational football Player Brandon Norton said the game can get intense at times and sometimes leads to injuries.

“I don’t think the kid meant anything bad by that. I think he got frustrated, and it was a split-second decision. I bet when the player was in the ground, he thought I shouldn't have done that,” Norton said.

The game stopped and players watched the teen lay motionless on the field and eventually get taken away. The game ended before the clock ran out, the Titans defeating the Viera hawks 52-13.

But as Hoelke said, that was a bad move on the Viera football player’s part.

“Supplexes like that when they throw them over the shoulder, really anything that’s not necessary to get them to the ground, is illegal,” Hoelke adds.

Last night, the Viera player posted on his Twitter: “Prayers out to 17 and his family from Tampa Tech. I apologize for my play."

Spectrum News reached out to Viera High school and the Florida High School Athletic Association to find out if they consider this defensive play illegal and if the player will face any sanctions. We are waiting to hear back from them.​