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New study finds CTE in nearly 1 in 4 NFL players sampled, and the authors say that count may be low

8/31/2026

Boston-area researchers have found that roughly one in four NFL players in their study sample had CTE at the time of death.

CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated concussions and the smaller, non-concussive hits that never draw a trainer onto the field.

The findings moved quickly through media coverage as a landmark moment for professional football, even as the authors themselves described the 25% figure as a conservative estimate.

What the study found and what it left open The research team placed their 25% figure on the "low end" of a possible range. Maximum possible prevalence, by the authors' own accounting, runs as high as around 98%.