CTE Study Finds Nearly 75% Of Ex-NFL Players Who Died From 2008 To 2023 Had Brain Disease

CBS Bay Area

October 29, 2026

Nearly 75% of NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a new study led by Boston University researchers finds.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is found in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head. It can only be definitively diagnosed after death. CTE has been discovered in football players as well as other athletes, first responders and military members.

The study published in JAMA Network Open shows how CTE, rarely seen in the general population, is far more common among deceased NFL players, lead author Julia Gallini said in a statement.

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