Brain disease in dead NFL players 'higher than previously shown'

What the report says

A new study published in the British Medical Journal says the rate of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, among former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 may be far higher than earlier community-based research suggested. BBC Sport reported that researchers reviewed the deaths of 878 ex-players from that period, with 235 of them donating their brains for study.

Of those brain donations, 215 were found to have CTE, a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated blows to the head and diagnosable only after death. Based on the sample and the wider group of deceased players, the authors said a conservative estimate of CTE prevalence was 24.5%, while a maximum calculation reached 97.7%. The study also said dementia was common among the brain donors.

Lead author Daniel Daneshvar of Harvard Medical School said the findings suggest a higher prevalence of CTE at death than previously reported, and he argued that much of the head impact exposure happened before players reached the NFL, including at college, high school and youth levels. The researchers urged the league to take stronger prevention steps to reduce repetitive head impacts across football.

The NFL said it continues to work on making the game safer and pointed to measures intended to reduce concussions and head impacts, along with support resources for former players. The article also noted earlier moves by the league, including limits on contact practices and a 2016 settlement tied to brain-injury claims.