Study Finds CTE in Quarter of Deceased NFL Players
At least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, according to a study published Tuesday in the BMJ. Researchers say that figure is a floor, not a ceiling.
- 878 former NFL players died in the study period; 235 donated their brains.
- 215 of those 235 donated brains tested positive for CTE.
- 30% of brain donors had Stage IV CTE, the most severe form.
- Maximum possible prevalence reached 97.7%; researchers say truth lies between the two extremes.
Why it matters: CTE can only be confirmed after death, so prevalence estimates depend on brain donations — a population that may skew toward symptomatic cases.
- 59.8% of brain donors had dementia; more than 90% of Stage IV cases were also diagnosed with dementia.
- Nearly 70% of head impacts occur in practice, Daneshvar said, meaning game rules alone cannot reduce cumulative risk.
How 15 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the core numbers but diverges on emphasis: left-leaning outlets center the NFL's historical resistance to CTE research, while the New York Post highlights the range of possible prevalence and individual player cases.
Center coverage, 5 sources: The center presents the study's methodology and numerical range as the main story, noting the 25% figure is a conservative lower bound with the true rate unknown.
ESPN3hStudy shows at least 25% of NFL players could develop CTE - ESPN
Reuters1hAl menos uno de cada cuatro exjugadores de la NFL fallecidos entre 2016 y 2021 padecía ETC: estudio
BBC News4hNFL: At least one in four dead players had brain disease, says studyCNCTV News1h1 in 4 former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE, study estimates
NPR7hAt least 25% of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study findsLeft coverage, 8 sources: The left frames the study as evidence of the NFL's long pattern of minimizing brain-injury risks and calls for systemic rule changes at every level of the sport.
The Guardian4hStudy finds that one in four former NFL players suffers from degenerative brain disease CTE
NBC News3hOne-in-four NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE, study showsTBGThe Boston Globe1hCTE research: 1 in 4 former NFL players had brain disease
The Independent1hNFL ‘continuously striving’ to make sport safer after CTE risks laid bare in new study
The New York Times4hStudy's Alarming Finding: At Least 1 in 4 NFL Players Gets Brain Disease...
ABC News59mStudy suggests at least 1 in 4 former NFL players may have CTEBosBoston.com1hStudy’s alarming finding: At least 1 in 4 NFL players gets brain disease
CNN2h1 in 4 former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE, study estimatesRight coverage, 2 sources: The right leads with the 'alarmingly high' minimum rate and uses individual player cases to illustrate severity, while noting the NFL's prior legal settlements and ongoing safety efforts.
What’s next: A follow-up study estimating CTE rates across all NFL player deaths is expected within months.
- Daneshvar urged limits on contact practices at youth, high school, and college levels.
- What share of active or living NFL players currently have CTE — something that cannot be measured without a reliable in-life diagnostic tool?
- Would extending the NFL's practice-contact limits to lower levels of play meaningfully reduce CTE rates, and who would enforce such rules?