American NFL linebacker, one of the greats, 1969–2012
New research analyzing 878 former NFL players finds CTE in 24.5% of donors, with 215 of 235 brains showing the condition. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, highlights the link between repeated head impacts and neurodegenerative disease, urging prevention across all levels of football.
NFL star Aldon Smith has died after delivering pizzas for a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay Area. Attorneys say his brain will be examined for CTE as part of ongoing family-initiated investigations into the death.