Study Finds CTE in at Least 1 in 4 Former NFL Players Who Died

At least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, according to a major study published Tuesday. The research, which provides the most comprehensive estimate to date of the degenerative brain disease's prevalence among retired players, found the condition in over 90% of the donated brains examined, with the true rate likely falling somewhere between 24.5% and 97.7%. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, was conducted by researchers from Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion CTE Foundation.