The fathers of two Citronelle High School football players say they have made peace after a postgame fight in the stands last week led to arrest warrants and the suspension of the team’s starting quarterback.
Chris Edmunds, father of quarterback Daylon Edmunds, and Stephan Byrd, father of receiver Sye Byrd, both posted public apologies on Facebook this week following the altercation that broke out after Citronelle’s game against UMS-Wright.
According to Citronelle Police Chief Chris McLean, the confrontation began when one of the fathers accused the other of making a comment about his son, and the disagreement escalated into a physical altercation. McLean said warrants have been issued charging both Chris Edmunds and Stephan Byrd with disorderly conduct.
During the chaos, Daylon Edmunds ran into the bleachers and struck Stephan Byrd. The Citronelle quarterback was suspended from both the football team and school as a result, though Byrd said he does not intend to press charges against the younger Edmunds.
In his Facebook post, Byrd said he accepted Chris Edmunds’ apology and acknowledged his own role in letting the situation escalate in front of the boys and their friends.
“We all make mistakes and I have made my share,” Byrd wrote. “I accept the apology and in return apologize for putting our kids and friends in a difficult situation. I am embarrassed no matter the reasoning as a adult I know better. Hopefully we all learned a lesson.”
Byrd went further, saying he sympathized with Daylon Edmunds’ decision to intervene and defend his father, and he called for the suspension to be lifted.
“As for Daylon Edmunds, I can’t say that I would not have done the same thing if the tables were turned,” Byrd wrote. “I look at you and only can imagine if this was Sye in your situation, so you and your family can rest easy. I won’t be filing charges on you sir. From now on, let adults handle adult situations.”
He closed the post with a direct appeal: “LET HIM PLAY.”
Chris Edmunds, a former police chief in Millry, also issued a lengthy public apology addressed to the team, coaching staff, fans, the student body, school administration and the wider Mobile County Public School System.
“On the behalf of myself and Daylon Edmunds we would like to first apologize to the players (teammates) and coaches for our actions,” Chris Edmunds wrote. “We accept our consequence for our actions! Even if we feel like it’s not fair, our actions wasn’t also! Last, we would like to apologize to Mr. Stephen Byrd.”
The incident comes at a pivotal point in Citronelle’s season. The Wildcats, who entered the week 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Class 5A Region 1 play, host B.C. Rain this Friday at 7 p.m., with increased police presence expected at the game. Citronelle remains in position to claim one of four playoff berths from the region, and how quickly the school resolves Daylon Edmunds’ suspension could factor into the Wildcats’ push toward the postseason.