Breaking news
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen is the first NASCAR driver diagnosed with CTEBoston University researchers found stage 3 CTE in the brain of the racing legend, who died in 2024 after living with dementia for about 20 years.
What is CTE
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head. Over time, an abnormal form of a protein called tau builds up in the brain and spreads, damaging and killing nerve cells. The disease gets worse over years and can affect memory, thinking, mood and behavior. In 2022 the National Institutes of Health formally recognized that CTE is caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries.
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Get the latest CTE research and news from @CTESociety.
Featured Video
Harvard Expert Explains the Science of Repetitive Head Injuries: Dr. Daniel Daneshvar on how repeated hits, not just concussions, affect long-term brain health. Video: StopCTE Awareness Foundation.
Latest Research
Oct. 13, 2026
The first clinical trial for athletes at risk of CTE is now recruiting (Being Patient)
Sept. 22, 2026
Blood tests and brain scans could help diagnose CTE in living people (New York Times)
Aug. 25, 2026
At least 1 in 4 former NFL players who died in 2016–21 had CTE (BMJ)
Who is CTE
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy affects people from all walks of life; men, women, athletes, soldiers, abused women and children and people with disabilities. Even if you don’t suffer a concussion, milder, repeated head trauma may eventually result in CTE.
Here are the stories of a few people who were found to have CTE after their deaths. By sharing their stories we hope we can help you better understand the symptoms and scope of this debilitating condition.
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton Gifford (August 16, 1930 – August 9, 2015) was an American football player and television sports commentator. After a 12-year playing career as a running back and flanker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL), he was a play-by-play announcer and commentator for 27 years on ABC’s Monday Night Football.
Ken Stabler
Kenneth Michael “Ken” Stabler (December 25, 1945 – July 8, 2015), nicknamed “Snake,” was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the University of Alabama and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mike Webster
Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, “Iron Mike” Webster was the first former NFL player found to have CTE, identified by Dr. Bennet Omalu after Webster’s death in 2002. His case started the modern study of CTE in football.
Junior Seau
One of the most celebrated linebackers of his era, Junior Seau played 20 NFL seasons for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. NIH researchers found CTE in his brain after his death in 2012.
Owen Thomas
An autopsy conducted in 2010 on the brain of Owen Thomas, a 21-year-old junior lineman at the University of Pennsylvania, showed early stages of CTE, making him the second youngest person to be diagnosed with the condition.
Nathan Stiles
In October 2010, 17-year-old Nathan Stiles died hours after his high school homecoming football game, where he took a hit that would be the final straw in a series of subconcussive and concussive blows to the head. He was later diagnosed with CTE, making him the youngest reported CTE case at the time.
Ryan Freel
Ryan Freel was a promising American professional baseball player. Known as a “utility player,” Freel played second base, third base, and all three outfield positions for teams including the Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals.
