Study finds high rate of CTE among deceased NFL players, calls for better data

An August 2026 BMJ study of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 found that chronic traumatic encephalopathy was diagnosed in one out of every four examined brains, though the sample represents a self-selected group. This follows a July 2026 Lancet analysis of nearly 20,000 ex-players that showed a markedly higher incidence of ALS deaths before age 50 compared with the broader population. The article stresses that without comprehensive, population-level data, researchers cannot fully map the links between sports-related head trauma and diseases such as ALS, Parkinson's, and frontotemporal degeneration.

It points to high-profile awareness efforts, including Chris Johnson's revival of the Ice Bucket Challenge and Bruce Willis's public FTD diagnosis, as drivers for better data collection. In California, a bipartisan bill championed by Emma Heming Willis has passed the legislature and awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature, adding FTD to the state's Neurodegenerative Disease Registry. The piece concludes that systematic registries are essential for identifying occupational health patterns and guiding prevention strategies.