While professional football and the degenerative brain disease known as CTE have long been linked, true prevalence has remained an open question. A new study finds that, among former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021, at least a quarter had CTE. Patrick Smith/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Patrick Smith/Getty Images For years,
Research has shown that athletes such as footballers, rugby players, and fighters such as boxers have a significantly higher risk of developing CTE than the general population. CTE can only be diagnosed after death. The disease, caused by repeated blows to the head, has been found in the brains of dozens of former National Football