NFL-At least one-in-four former players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study shows

A study examining the brains of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 found that at least 25% of the subjects were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The findings provide new data on the prevalence of the degenerative brain disease within the professional football population.

While medical research has long established a link between playing football and the development of CTE, the exact frequency of the condition among former players remains a subject of ongoing investigation. This study contributes to the broader understanding of the long-term neurological health risks associated with the sport.