Home

 › 

Sports

 › 

From Gridiron Glory to CTE: NFL Legends and Their Struggles

From Gridiron Glory to CTE: NFL Legends and Their Struggles

Published: by

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Aaron Hernandez (1989-2017)

Source: Jared Wickerham / Getty Images

Adrian Robinson (1989-2015)

Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Andre Waters (1962-2006)

Source: Gene Sweeney / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Bubba Smith (1945-2011)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Chris Henry (1983-2009)

Source: Mike Zarrilli / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Colt Brennan (1983-2021)

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Cookie Gilchrist (1935-2011)

Source: joeglo / Flickr

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (1987-2017)

Source: denverjeffrey / Flickr

Dave Duerson (1960-2011)

Source: George Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Demaryius Thomas (1987-2021)

Source: denverjeffrey / Flickr

Earl Morrall (1934-2014)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Frank Gifford (1930-2015)

Source: Hulton Archive / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Fred McNeill (1952-2015)

Source: JoeChristensen / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

Greg Clark (1972-2021)

Source: Elsa / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

John Grimsley (1962-2008)

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

John Mackey (1941-2011)

Source: wellesenterprises / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Jovan Belcher (1987-2012)

Source: Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Junior Seau (1969-2012)

Source: Kent Horner / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Justin Strzelczyk (1968-2004)

Source: Rick Stewart / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Ken Stabler (1945-2015)

Source: Allsport / Getty Images

Kevin Turner (1969-2016)

Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images

Mike Webster (1952-2002)

Source: Jonathan Daniel / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Mosi Tatupu (1955-2010)

Source: littleny / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Ollie Matson (1930-2011)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Paul Oliver (1984-2013)

Source: Handout / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Phillip Adams (1988-2021)

Source: Handout / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Ralph Wenzel (1943-2012)

Source: tupungato / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Ray Easterling (1949-2012)

Source: Mukifül / Wikimedia Commons

Rob Lytle (1954-2010)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Shane Dronett (1971-2009)

Source: Tim DeFrisco / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Terry Long (1959-2005)

Source: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons

Tom McHale (1963-2008)

Source: 6381380 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

Tommy Nobis (1943-2017)

Source: Scott Cunningham / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Tyler Sash (1988-2015)

Source: Handout / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Vincent Jackson (1983-2021)

Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

Aaron Hernandez (1989-2017)
Adrian Robinson (1989-2015)
Andre Waters (1962-2006)
Bubba Smith (1945-2011)
Chris Henry (1983-2009)
Colt Brennan (1983-2021)
Cookie Gilchrist (1935-2011)
Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (1987-2017)
Dave Duerson (1960-2011)
Demaryius Thomas (1987-2021)
Earl Morrall (1934-2014)
Frank Gifford (1930-2015)
Fred McNeill (1952-2015)
Greg Clark (1972-2021)
John Grimsley (1962-2008)
John Mackey (1941-2011)
Jovan Belcher (1987-2012)
Junior Seau (1969-2012)
Justin Strzelczyk (1968-2004)
Ken Stabler (1945-2015)
Kevin Turner (1969-2016)
Mike Webster (1952-2002)
Mosi Tatupu (1955-2010)
Ollie Matson (1930-2011)
Paul Oliver (1984-2013)
Phillip Adams (1988-2021)
Ralph Wenzel (1943-2012)
Ray Easterling (1949-2012)
Rob Lytle (1954-2010)
Shane Dronett (1971-2009)
Terry Long (1959-2005)
Tom McHale (1963-2008)
Tommy Nobis (1943-2017)
Tyler Sash (1988-2015)
Vincent Jackson (1983-2021)

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is defined, by the Boston University CTE Center, as a degenerative brain disease caused in part by repeated traumatic injuries to the head as a result of both concussions and nonconcussive impacts. CTE was first described in 1928 by Dr. Harrison Martland when he described several boxers as having "punch drunk syndrome." It wasn't until 2005, more than 75 years later, that the first evidence of the disease was found by forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu when he autopsied former NFL player Mike Webster.

CTE can only be conclusively diagnosed post-mortem through an autopsy, leaving many athletes to suffer from its symptoms unchecked during their lives. Common symptoms include confusion, impaired judgment, and extreme mood swings with aggression. Many former players diagnosed with CTE had a history of violent behavior, with some even committing murder or suicide.

In recent years, suicide has been strongly linked to CTE, with at least 12 of the 35 deceased players having taken their own lives. A 2017 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered signs of CTE in 110 out of 111 brains of deceased former NFL players. (Here are 33 athletes with famously bad tempers.)

To compile a list of professional football players whose deaths are at least partially attributable to CTE, 24/7 Tempo reviewed player profiles published by the Concussion Legacy Foundation and articles from Boston University's CTE Center. Additionally, we examined archived news stories about deceased football players from sources such as ESPN, CNN, Sports Illustrated, NPR, and other online platforms.

Here are NFL legends diagnosed with CTE:

To top