A new study reports that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is present in at least about a quarter of deceased former NFL players whose brains were donated for research. The findings focus on players who died between 2016 and 2021, and the study diagnoses CTE from donated brain tissue after death.
Multiple outlets describe the results as a lower-bound estimate because CTE can only be confirmed through post-mortem examination. CBS, NPR, The Hill, Forbes, and Yahoo Sports all emphasize the “at least 25%” figure, while The Athletic (citing the same research) reports a high proportion among the specific donated brains studied. Yahoo Sports also notes the use of the UNITE Brain Bank at Boston University. Some coverage contrasts the minimum estimate with higher possible prevalence, and some outlets reference calls for broader action from stakeholders.
Overall, reporting aligns on the core claim that a substantial share of studied, deceased NFL players had CTE, while differing mainly in how they frame the prevalence range and discuss implications for prevention and future research.
