At least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had a degenerative brain disease, according to a new study that suggests previous figures may have understated the scale of the issue.
The study examined former players from the National Football League who died during that five-year period. Its central finding was that a minimum of 25% of those players had evidence of a degenerative brain condition.
The researchers also cautioned that the real figure could be substantially higher. The material available from the study indicates that the confirmed proportion represents a lower estimate rather than a definitive ceiling.
The finding is significant because it adds to scrutiny of long-term brain health among former American football players. The NFL is the highest-profile professional American football league, and research involving former players is closely followed because of concerns about the lasting medical consequences experienced after careers in the sport.
The study’s conclusion is that degenerative brain disease among deceased former NFL players in the period assessed was higher than had previously been shown. No further details were provided in the supplied material about the study’s authors, methodology, the specific condition identified, or any response from the NFL.
The latest position is that the study has reported a confirmed rate of at least one in four among former NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021, while leaving open the possibility that the actual prevalence in that group was greater.
