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Study Finds Former NFL Players Four Times More Likely to Die From Neurodegenerative Diseases but Lower Rates From Cancer and Heart Disease
Researchers examined records for 19,824 players who appeared in the NFL between 1960 and 2019 and found neurodegenerative mortality rates nearly four times higher than in the general population. The study attributed the increase primarily to chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Jul 10, 12:27 PM·1m read3 sources
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A study released Wednesday found that former NFL players are four times more likely than the general population to die from neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's. Researchers from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion & CTE Foundation examined records for 19,824 athletes who played in the NFL between 1960 and 2019.
They reviewed death certificates obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the 1,994 players in the cohort who have died.
The overall rate of neurodegenerative mortality was 3.94 times higher among the players. The rate of all-cause dementia mortality was 3.80 times higher and the rate of Parkinson's disease mortality was 3.88 times higher. Players who died before age 60 showed a 12-fold increase in neurodegenerative death compared with the general population.
Skill-position players had a neurodegenerative disease listed as a cause of death at nearly twice the rate of offensive and defensive linemen. Veterans with careers of five or more seasons faced double the risk of neurodegenerative death compared with those who played one to four seasons. The elevated rates of neurodegenerative mortality were consistent across different eras of play.
The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, is the largest retrospective cohort study to date on NFL player mortality. It attributed the higher rates primarily to chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Former players showed lower death rates from cancer, cardiovascular disease and suicide than national averages.
Co-senior author Dr. Daneshvar said the most effective way to decrease risk is to reduce total force to the head by changing when athletes start playing contact sports and how they practice. The findings align with a 2025 ESPN survey showing former players entering retirement age report higher rates of chronic pain, disability, depression, anxiety and cognitive decline than the average American man.
