Study: 1 in 4 Former NFL Players Who Died Had CTE

A new study reports that at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 may have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The findings, released just two weeks before the start of the NFL season, add fresh urgency to long-running concerns about player safety and the league's handling of concussions. Researchers behind the study say the data underscores the lasting toll professional football can take on players long after they leave the field. The report is likely to reignite debate over the NFL's safety protocols and player protections, as fans and former athletes alike scrutinize how the league is addressing the risks tied to the sport's physical demands ahead of another season kickoff.