Nearly 3 in 4 NFL players who died over 15-year span had CTE: peer-reviewed study

A peer-reviewed study published Wednesday found that an estimated 75% of former NFL players who died in a 15-year period had signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

The new estimation in JAMA Network Open is the highest estimate to date and builds on an earlier study from August that found at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 suffered from CTE.

CTE is a brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, and it can only be diagnosed by examining brain tissue after someone dies. 

Not all people with signs of CTE go on to experience cognitive decline or dementia, according to NBC News, and some may never experience symptoms at all. A smaller percentage of the players in the analysis, just 27%, were believed to have dementia.

The study looked at data from 396 donated brains, plus information from 1,966 other deceased former NFL players, and combined data from the UNITE Brain Bank with national death records of former NFL players who died from 2008 to 2023.

They estimated that among the roughly 2,360 former players who died during the 15-year time frame, approximately 1,760, or nearly 75%, had CTE.

The NFL Players Association, the union that represents football players, responded to the study in the Journal of the American Medical Association publication, stating that the study is "critical" to understanding the sport's potential long-term impact. 

"The NFLPA remains committed to supporting scientific research, investing in resources that aid players’ physical and mental well-being, and expanding access to care so that they can experience improved health outcomes during and after their playing careers," the union said.

The NFL said it is committed to making the game of football safer for its athletes, including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.