The family of former NFL player Aldon Smith says it will donate his brain to the Boston University CTE Center as attorneys investigate his sudden death at age 36. Multiple outlets report that the decision is aimed at examining whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) or other trauma-related brain damage may have contributed to his death. Sources also note that the cause of death has not been officially released, and that investigators and legal representatives are working to determine what happened.
The reports also describe that Smith died suddenly on Saturday. One outlet adds that his death comes hours after charity work in the San Francisco Bay area, where he reportedly delivered pizzas to a homeless charity. Several articles say Smith’s family has hired attorneys to investigate the circumstances of his death. Together, the coverage indicates that the brain donation is being used as part of the family’s broader effort to seek answers and potentially connect long-term effects of repetitive head injuries with health outcomes in the wake of his death.
