Study finds 25% of former NFL players who died had CTE
8 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Aug 25, 2026, 2:30 PM
Last updated Aug 25, 2026
A new study published by the British Medical Journal reported that at least 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Conducted by Mass General Brigham using brain samples from the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University, researchers examined 235 donated brains, finding 215 showed signs of CTE. This degenerative brain disease is linked to repeated head impacts and can lead to memory problems, mood disorders, and dementia. The findings contribute to understanding the prevalence of CTE among former players.
- •At least 25% of former NFL players studied had CTE.
- •215 out of 235 donated brains showed signs of CTE.
- •Study focused on players who died between 2016 and 2021.
- •CTE is linked to repeated traumatic brain injuries.
- •Symptoms include memory problems and mood disorders.
- 2:30 PMCBS NFL — Study finds at least 25% of NFL players in sample from 2016-2021 had CTE
- 1:23 PMYahoo Sports — ‘Wake-up call’: At least 1 in 4 ex-NFL players had CTE, new Mass General Brigham study finds
- 12:59 PMESPN — Study: At least 1 in 4 NFL players can get CTE
- 12:09 PMYahoo Sports — At least 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE, new study says
- 11:41 AMYahoo Sports — At least 25% of former NFL players who died from 2016-2021 had CTE, according to new study
- 11:36 AMThe Guardian Sport — Study finds that one in four former NFL players suffers from degenerative brain disease CTE
"215 of 235 donated brains showed signs of CTE Condition can only be diagnosed after death Symptoms include problems with memory and mood At least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 was found to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a study released on Tuesday. Out of the 878 former players who died during that time frame, 235 donated their brains for study, researchers said, with 215 of those donated brains found to have CTE, a degenerative disease that can only definitively be diagnosed after death. CTE is associated with repeated blows to the head, including concussions. Symptoms include difficulty with attention and memory, dementia, mood disorders and headaches. Continue reading...
"A new study published Tuesday by the British Medical Journal showed that at least 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE.
"Shocking new data reveals that at least 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Sources
External links- CBS NFLAug 25, 2026, 2:30 PMStudy finds at least 25% of NFL players in sample from 2016-2021 had CTE
A study in the British Medical Journal published its findings on Aug. 25
- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 1:23 PM‘Wake-up call’: At least 1 in 4 ex-NFL players had CTE, new Mass General Brigham study finds
Shocking new data reveals that at least 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
- ESPNAug 25, 2026, 12:59 PMStudy: At least 1 in 4 NFL players can get CTE
A new study published Tuesday by the British Medical Journal showed that at least 25% of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE.
- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 12:09 PMAt least 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE, new study says
Researchers analyzed 1,712 former players who died between 2008 and 2021.
- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 11:41 AMAt least 25% of former NFL players who died from 2016-2021 had CTE, according to new study
The study used brain samples from the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University.
- The Guardian SportAug 25, 2026, 11:36 AMStudy finds that one in four former NFL players suffers from degenerative brain disease CTE
215 of 235 donated brains showed signs of CTE Condition can only be diagnosed after death Symptoms include problems with memory and mood At least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 was found to have had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a study released on Tuesday. Out of the 878 former players who died during that time frame, 235 donated their brains for study, researchers said, with 215 of those donated brains found to have CTE, a degenerative disease that can only definitively be diagnosed after death. CTE is associated with repeated blows to the head, including concussions. Symptoms include difficulty with attention and memory, dementia, mood disorders and headaches. Continue reading...
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