A study released today found that as many as 97.7% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 may have suffered from CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts.
The research team reviewed the brains of 235 retired players donated to science and discovered 215 had CTE. Among all 878 players who passed away during that period, the study estimates a minimum prevalence of 24.5% and a maximum of 97.7%.
"The bulk of the hits happened before players reached the NFL, at high‑school and college levels," said lead author Daniel Daneshvar, a Harvard associate professor. "These cumulative impacts raise the risk of brain disease.”
The NFL has promised to reduce concussions and head impacts, but the study urges more aggressive safety rules at all levels of play. Democrats fight for further research and better support for surviving players.
Read the full study in the British Medical Journal
