A recent study published in the BMJ estimates that one in four former National Football League players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma.
How the estimate was derived
Researchers from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion & CTE Foundation examined death‑certificate data for 878 former players who died from 2016 to 2021. Of those, 235 families had donated the players’ brains for research, and 215 of the donated brains were diagnosed with CTE. By comparing the number of confirmed CTE cases to the total deaths, the team arrived at the 25% estimate.
What CTE looks like
CTE is a progressive brain disease marked by an abnormal buildup of the protein tau. It can only be confirmed after death, but symptoms during life may include memory loss, impulse‑control problems, anxiety, depression and anger. The condition has been observed in athletes from football, hockey and soccer, as well as in soldiers exposed to explosions and individuals who have suffered domestic violence.
Broader implications for the sport
Lead author Dr. Daniel Daneshvar, chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, noted that former NFL players die from neurodegenerative disease at roughly four times the rate of the general population. He emphasized that most of the head impacts contributing to CTE occur before the professional level—during high school, collegiate and youth play.
“If the reductions in contact practice that the NFL has adopted were extended to high schools, colleges and youth leagues, we could substantially lower the cumulative head‑impact burden,” Daneshvar said.
League response and safety measures
The NFL pointed to ongoing safety initiatives, including the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement that limited contact practices and the 2020 agreement that continues those limits through 2031. The league also highlighted its settlement of concussion‑related lawsuits with retired players in 2016 and its commitment to providing resources for former athletes.
Daneshvar urged current and former players experiencing cognitive symptoms to seek evaluation by a neurodegenerative‑disease specialist, noting that roughly 70% of head impacts occur in practice rather than games.
What this means for families and communities
Parents of youth athletes are being encouraged to monitor the frequency and intensity of contact drills. The study’s authors recommend that schools and youth programs adopt the same practice‑limiting protocols used by the NFL to protect developing brains.
While the research does not single out any specific league policy, it adds to a growing body of evidence that reducing repetitive head trauma at all levels of football could help safeguard the long‑term health of players and their families.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
