The New Jersey high school football community is in mourning tonight following the passing of Hudson Catholic head coach Lamar McKnight and his assistant, Brad Cunningham.
According to reports, McKnight and Cunningham were two of six people killed in a fiery crash in Newark just before 11 p.m. Friday night. The vehicle they were traveling in was southbound on Raymond Boulevard heading to the entrance ramp to Routes 1 & 9 when it “veered off the road, went into the air and struck a support column for the Pulaski Skyway,” per NJ.com’s Jeff Goldman.
The car then burst into flames, killing all six occupants. A press conference is scheduled for Monday at 3 p.m. to discuss the tragedy.
While the identities of the six victims have not been officially published, a post from The Knight Report first reported that Cunningham and McKnight were involved, and tributes to the two have been pouring in online.
Cunningham was a star player at Hudson Catholic, graduating in 2001 before embarking on a five-year career at Rutgers, where he played linebacker for Greg Schiano during the coach’s first tenure in Piscataway.
“We are saddened to hear of an accident involving Brad Cunningham, Coach McKnight and four others last night,” Schiano tweeted Saturday. “Brad Cunningham, member of our first recruiting class, laid the foundation of the Rutgers football program. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brad’s family and the entire Hudson Catholic football family.”
McKnight was a standout on the gridiron for Lincoln High School in Jersey City before playing collegiately at Tennessee State, Contra Costa Community College and Adams State.
He had just completed his first season as head coach at Hudson Catholic, leading the Hawks to a 5-4 record and state tournament berth.
“Coach McKnight since the first time we met it was an instant connection and a bond that nobody would ever break. I want to thank you for making me a better athlete and a better man at life without you I don’t know where I would be right now,” said Hudson Catholic defensive back Amori McNeil on Instagram.
“The last time we spoke you told me that ‘I will always have your back kid.’ We was supposed to go to Texas for the Army Bowl Combine and now I won’t have you and coach brad with me like y’all said but I know that y’all both will be there with me with y’all spirit I’m gonna go and ball out for y’all. I’m gonna finish the mission for y’all💯. Love y’all forever Coach McKnight and Coach Brad♾️❤️🩹🕊️.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the McKnight and Cunningham families as well as the entire NJ high school football brotherhood.
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