NFL logo on field before Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Jets preseason game.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Over the last 20 years, CTE and the NFL have been a hot topic, as hundreds of former players have been posthumously diagnosed with it, and a new study uncovered by the New York Times showed how many athletes get it.
According to new data from the New York Times, at least one in four NFL players get CTE. The study was of hundreds of cases over a recent six-year period (2016 to 2021).
The study considered all 878 former NFL players who died in that time frame. “Some” passed away in their 20s, while “some” were in their 80s. However, “most” of the players were “in between” those ages.
215 of the 878 former players, which is 24.5%, had CTE. Unfortunately, the prevalence of the disease may be higher, as the study didn't consider the 643 brains that weren't examined. There is a chance that most of those players also had it.
Some players aren't surprised by this figure. In fact, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Randy Grims, 66, said that he imagines “the real number is a lot bigger.”
CTE is caused by repeated impacts to the head. As of now, it can only be diagnosed posthumously. According to the New York Times, the rate of CTE in those who haven't sustained repeated impacts to the head is “nearly zero.”
The disease was first discovered almost a century ago in boxers. Initially, it was called “dementia pugilistica.” Some of the symptoms include memory loss, confusion, and uncharacteristic mood swings. Additionally, decreases in executive function and increases in erratic and impulsive behavior (which includes addiction) are also potential symptoms.
Football is the sport most associated with CTE, due to the physicality of the sport. However, it is found in other athletes in sports like hockey, rugby, and soccer. Wrestlers and bobsledders have also been diagnosed with it. Military veterans who work with artillery may also be susceptible to CTE.
The new data comes after former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck announced his participation in scans and tests to try to find a living diagnosis of CTE.