Worrying study: At least one in four deceased NFL players suffered from head trauma
At least one in four former football players who passed away between 2016 and 2021 was found to have signs of CTE, a degenerative disease linked to repetitive head injuries. Researchers warn: a large portion of the hits did not occur during games, but rather during practices and in youth leagues.
A new study raises once again the question of the health cost of American football: at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 was diagnosed after death with CTE - Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative disease linked to repetitive head injuries. The study, conducted by researchers from Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation, examined data from 878 former NFL players who died during the period in question. Of those players, 235 donated their brains to research, and 215 of the brains examined showed signs of CTE - more than 90% of the donations tested.
It is important to note that CTE is a disease that can be diagnosed with certainty only after death, through an examination of brain tissue. The researchers emphasize that the rate of findings among brain donors does not necessarily reflect the rate of the disease among all former NFL players, as this is a group that chose to donate their brains to research.
Daniel Daneshvar, the lead author of the study and head of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham, explained that the link between repetitive traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases is already known:
"Similarly, we and others have shown that among NFL players, there is a mortality rate from neurodegenerative diseases that is approximately four times higher than that of the general population."
The study also found that dementia was common among brain donors. Following the findings, the researchers call for preventive measures that focus on reducing the number of repetitive head injuries - and not just during NFL games. According to Daneshvar, a large portion of the hits the players sustained throughout their careers did not necessarily occur in the NFL:
"They occurred at the college level, at the high school level, and in many cases also at the youth level. All the cumulative head injuries added up and led to an increased risk."
The NFL stated in response to the study that the league continues to work to reduce the risk of brain injuries and concussions. "The NFL is constantly striving to make the game of football safer, including through the implementation of strategies to reduce concussions and head injuries," the league stated. It was further stated that the NFL is "committed to ensuring that the former player community has access to a wide and expanding range of resources to improve physical and mental well-being."
