Researchers analyzed 1,712 former players who died between 2008 and 2021.August 25, 2026, 8:09 AMAt least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a new study in The BMJ.Researchers analyzed 1,712 former NFL players who died between 2008 and 2021 and found that 338 brains were donated for examination. Among those donors, 315 (93.2%) had evidence of CTE. Based on those findings, the authors estimated that the minimum prevalence of CTE among all former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 was 24.5%.The study also examined whether more severe disease was linked to cognitive decline. Among brain donors, nearly 60% had dementia and 90.4% of those with the most severe form of CTE (stage IV) had dementia. After accounting for differences between donors and non-donors, stage IV CTE was associated with a 44% higher risk of dementia.Popular ReadsResearchers noted that many cases of dementia were not captured on death certificates, suggesting the burden of neurodegenerative disease among former players may be underestimated.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.Popular Reads