Every Sunday, millions of Americans cheer for brutal, bone-crushing hits and glorious touchdowns, treating the gridiron like modern-day gladiatorial combat. Yet behind the scenes and the roaring stadium lights lies a silent and very real problem: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

A landmark study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that approximately 74.5% of deceased former NFL players studied likely suffered from this progressive brain disease. 

For decades, the actual toll of repetitive head trauma was minimized. Today, former players and cutting-edge science are pulling back the curtain on a game that quietly breaks the minds of the men who play it. Za’Darius Smith recently sat down with BET and said, “ You know what, CTE is real. So when that's all gone, the money is all gone, don't nobody want you no more. That's why I am so glad I get to go back to football.” 

He also does not want his son to play football. But he apparently slept one night with his Panini card and football and said he wants to dream of football. He also said there needs to be more therapy and the NFL needs to provide that. 

The Atlanta Falcons defensive end acknowledged the reality of CTE and expressed the inner conflict of a player and parent—noting the emotional and mental "dark places" athletes can face after leaving the game, while also pointing to his son's persistent love for football.

What have studies found

A new study has revealed that overwhelming numbers of former NFL players develop this crippling disease. In 1905, Teddy Roosevelt held a meeting at the White House to make the leaders understand that at the college level they need to get their act together in the middle of a season in which 18 players died due to injuries they sustained on the gridiron.

The sport has come a long way since then, and equipment has evolved, but injuries tend to be a matter of “when,” not “if.” As per BroBible, “A new study estimates 75% of former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had CTE.” 

Football, as well as UFC or any kind of combat sport, is a place where participants can have CTE. It can have severe effects like dementia,  nd there is no current cure for the disease. As a result, hundreds of football players have donated their brains to science in the hopes of aiding researchers who have attempted to research and pin down just how widespread the issue is.

As per the same article, “In 2023, the CTE Center at Boston University revealed it was prevalent in the brains of 345 of the 372 ex-NFL players it examined (91.7%), while another study released earlier this year involving 878 former players who died between 2016 said it was “at least 25%” while acknowledging it might be higher.” Hopefully with the proper researches and modern technology this problems will start getting lesson and lesser. 

Written by

Tanushree Bhowmick

Edited by

Tanushree Bhowmick