{
  "id": 3289992,
  "title": "Brain disease in dead NFL players 'higher than previously shown'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/brain-disease-in-dead-nfl-players-higher-than-previously-shown-3289992",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-25T11:54:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/american-football/articles/cew9l95kyp0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A study published in the British Medical Journal reveals that an alarming 97.7% of deceased NFL players between 2016 and 2021 may have suffered from brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. Researchers analyzed the brains of 878 former athletes who donated them for research purposes; 215 of these brains were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition only confirmed posthumously.\n\nThe findings, led by Daniel Daneshvar from Harvard Medical School, highlight that NFL players are four times more likely to die from neurodegenerative diseases than the general population. The study suggests that CTE prevalence among NFL players may be significantly higher than previously estimated, with a conservative minimum of 24.5% and a maximum of 97.7%.\n\nThe researchers emphasize that the majority of head impacts experienced by these former NFL players occurred at lower levels of the sport, such as college, high school, and youth levels. This cumulative effect of head injuries during these stages contributes to the increased risk of CTE.\n\nIn response to the findings, an NFL spokesperson reaffirmed the league's commitment to player safety, noting their ongoing efforts to reduce concussions and head impacts. The NFL encourages former players to utilize available resources to monitor and address their health concerns.",
  "summary": "A new study says at least one in four ex-NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had a degenerative brain disease but the true figure could be much higher.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "Brain disease in dead NFL players 'higher than previously shown'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/brain-disease-in-dead-nfl-players-higher-than-previously-shown",
        "published": "2026-08-25T11:54:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}