A new Boston University study reveals that an estimated 75 percent of National Football League players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. The finding raises urgent questions about player safety and the long-term health consequences of professional football.
Massive Gap Between NFL Players and General Population
The research, published in JAMA Network Open, examined brain tissue from 387 deceased former NFL players. Scientists discovered CTE in 362 of them, representing 94 percent of donors. Lead author Julia Gallini emphasized the stark contrast with the general population, where CTE appears in less than 1 percent of community brain bank donors. To address selection bias, researchers adjusted their calculations, accounting for the fact that players with cognitive symptoms were five times more likely to donate their brains.
The disease can only be definitively diagnosed after death and has been found in football players, other athletes, first responders, and military members. The adjusted prevalence estimate of 74.5 percent among all deceased NFL players during this period represents a troubling pattern for America’s most popular professional sport.
Former Players Demand Action on Safety
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, serving as an ambassador for the study, called the findings difficult to accept. He stressed the importance of learning from the data to protect future generations of players. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, a former linebacker, acknowledged that players understood the risks but believes the league must do everything possible to protect quality of life. The NFL responded by highlighting its commitment to providing physical and mental health resources for current and former players.
What This Means
The study authors emphasized their findings apply only to deceased players and cannot predict CTE rates among living or active athletes. The NFL Players Association called the research critical for understanding football’s long-term health impacts. Both the league and union pledged continued support for scientific research and expanded access to care. The findings add pressure on professional football to implement additional safety measures, though some former players like Vrabel maintain they knowingly accepted the risks when choosing to play.
