At least one-in-four former players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study shows
At least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 was found to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a study released on Tuesday.
A study released on Tuesday revealed that at least one in four former NFL players who passed away between 2016 and 2021 were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Researchers examined the brains of 878 deceased players, of which 235 had donated their brains for examination. Of those, 215 brains tested positive for CTE, a degenerative disease that can only be confirmed after death.
NFL spokesperson stated that the league is committed to improving player safety by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and head impacts. The organization encourages former players to utilize the available resources, including treatments and evaluations, to address any health concerns they might have.
Daniel Daneshvar, the study's lead author and chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham, highlighted that repeated traumatic brain injuries are a known factor contributing to an elevated risk of neurodegenerative diseases. He also noted that NFL players face a four times higher rate of death from such diseases compared to the general population.
The research, conducted by Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation, also found a high prevalence of dementia among the brain donors. Dr. Daneshvar emphasized the need for prevention measures that target reducing repetitive head impacts at all levels of the sport. He pointed out that most of the head impacts experienced by former NFL players occurred during their collegiate, high school, and youth-level careers.
The NFL's 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement limited the number of contact practices during the season. Five years later, the Ivy League banned full-contact tackling during practices. In 2016, the Supreme Court approved the NFL's settlement of concussion-related lawsuits involving thousands of retired players.
Daneshvar urged current and former athletes who experience cognitive symptoms to seek an evaluation from a neurodegenerative disease expert. He stressed that even without altering game time at any level, reducing the cumulative head impact burden can significantly benefit athletes.
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