Shocking Study Reveals 75% of Deceased NFL Players Show Signs of CTE
A study released Wednesday exposes a shocking reality: approximately three in four deceased NFL players from 2008 to 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Researchers scrutinized the donated brains of 396 deceased NFL players during this period, revealing that an alarming 93.5% exhibited signs of CTE.
In addition, they analyzed death records for 1,966 NFL players from the same timeframe. When combined with the brain donation data, the findings suggest that around 74.5% of these players likely suffered from this degenerative disease.
CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem and is linked to individuals involved in contact sports. Symptoms include severe mood swings, depression, and memory loss.
“CTE is an entirely preventable disease. It is caused by repetitive head impacts, and if we can limit the number of repetitive head impacts in football, we can limit the disease for future generations,” stated Christopher Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
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This study stands in stark contrast to another published in August, which estimated that only 25% of deceased players from 2016 to 2021 had CTE.
The NFL responded by referencing a previous statement regarding the August study.
“The NFL continuously strives to make the game of football safer, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts,” the statement asserted. “The NFL remains committed to ensuring that the NFL community has access to a robust — and expanding — set of resources to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing.”
The NFL Players Association emphasized the importance of these studies in understanding football's long-term effects.
“The NFLPA remains committed to supporting scientific research, investing in resources that aid players’ physical and mental well-being, and expanding access to care so that they can experience improved health outcomes during and after their playing careers,” the union stated.
