Brown-Miller died by suicide May 2, 2025, at age 58

May 28, 2025 (Boston) – The family of Lisa Brown-Miller, Olympic gold medalist and U.S. women’s ice hockey legend, is announcing their decision to donate Brown-Miller’s brain to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center. Brown-Miller died by suicide on May 2, 2025, at the age of 58. She endured a lifetime of repetitive head impacts playing hockey and was also a survivor of a serious car accident.

The Brown-Miller family hopes the donation will help advance understanding, prevention, and treatment of the degenerative brain disease CTE, and shed light on the unique risks faced by female athletes in contact sports.

“Lisa gave everything she had to the game—her talent, her heart, her body,” said Peggy Gustafson, Lisa’s wife. “Hockey was a part of her soul but so was helping others. She carried so much, more than most people ever saw, and still showed up with strength and grace. Donating her brain is a way to honor who she was: generous, brave, and always thinking about how she could make things better for the people coming after her. I miss her deeply, and I’m proud that her legacy will keep helping others.”

Brown-Miller was a cornerstone of women’s hockey in the United States, remembered not only for her fierce competitiveness but also for her humility, leadership, and selflessness. She was a member of the historic 1998 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team that won the first-ever gold medal awarded in the sport. At just 5 feet 1 inch, she stood out for her relentless drive, grit, and unwavering work ethic.

Brown-Miller played in six IIHF Women’s World Championships, tallying 38 points in 30 games. Off the ice, she coached and mentored countless young athletes, including during her tenure as head coach of the Princeton University women’s team. She was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Providence College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 as a member of the 1998 Olympic team.

“Lisa Brown-Miller was a trailblazer and a role model,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO, who worked with the family to coordinate Brown-Miller’s brain donation. “Her brain donation will help us better understand CTE and traumatic brain injury in female athletes. Her contribution will be invaluable to helping us better protect women in contact sports.”

Brown-Miller’s family encourages women who played contact sports to get involved in CTE research during life. Many of Brown-Miller’s teammates like A.J. Mleczko Griswold and Angela Ruggiero have already pledged to donate their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) and are vocal advocates for brain health and CTE prevention in women’s sports. Those interested in getting involved can visit CLFResearch.org to learn more.

NIH awarded $15 million for multi-site study on former college, pro football players age 50+

May 8, 2025 (Boston) – Three-time Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck is being announced today by the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) as the first ambassador for a new study aimed at diagnosing the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the living. The study, “The DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project-II,” will examine new potential biomarkers using blood and brain imaging to help doctors accurately diagnose CTE in living patients and learn how to differentiate CTE in the clinic from similar diseases like Alzheimer’s. CLF is leading recruiting for the study and tapped Hasselbeck, who pledged to donate his brain to CTE research in 2017, to encourage former NFL and college players, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms, to get in the game of CTE research.

“Some people celebrate their 50th birthday with big trips, but I’m going to celebrate mine by heading to the Boston University CTE Center this fall to help them learn how to definitively diagnose CTE while we are alive,” said Hasselbeck, who played at Boston College before competing for 18 seasons in the NFL. “It means a lot to me to be a leader on this and help researchers learn how to develop treatments for those suffering. I’m blessed to feel healthy now, but I know I’m at risk for CTE. So are my teammates, including those who took hits to the head blocking for me. I’m doing it for them, and I encourage former college and pro football players aged 50 and over to join me.”

The study will recruit 350 men, age 50 and older, including 225 former college and professional football players, 75 control participants, and 50 people with Alzheimer’s disease. Participants will enroll in one of the five study sites to complete neurological, cognitive and neuropsychiatric exams, multimodal brain imaging, tau PET imaging, and blood draws. The information will be analyzed to characterize the specific signs, symptoms, and biomarkers of people at risk for CTE. Travel support for participants is provided.

“We are grateful to former college and NFL players like Matt Hasselbeck who make CTE research possible,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF CEO. “At this point we’ve all lost former teammates to CTE, and if we want to develop treatments to slow or stop the disease in our lifetime, we need former football players to take on CTE with as much enthusiasm as we took on our opponents on the field.”

The study, funded by a $15.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will form a consortium of top academic research centers, led by the Boston University CTE Center and including the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Mayo Clinic in Arizona, the University of Florida and the University of Texas in San Antonio, and researchers from 10 other collaborating institutions..

“This study will create unprecedented data sets needed to accurately diagnose CTE during life,” said Dr. Michael Alosco, associate professor of neurology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. “It will fill two missing links in the literature preventing us from developing definitive diagnostic criteria for CTE during life. First, we need longitudinal studies that include brain donation. Second, we need to better compare people at risk for CTE to other disease groups.”

Right now, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death following brain donation. There is an urgent need to develop validated criteria to make the diagnosis of CTE during a person’s life to inform the course of clinical and biological changes in people, as well as better understand why some football players develop long-term problems and others don’t. Although this study will only study male football players, the findings will benefit all groups at risk for CTE, including male and female contact sports athletes and military veterans.

Former football players and those who have no history of contact and collision sports who are interested in the study are encouraged to sign up for the Concussion Legacy Foundation Research Registry, where they will be alerted to all clinical research opportunities they might be eligible for. Sign up at CLFResearch.org.

Gift will honor former Dartmouth coach’s legacy of CTE prevention

(Boston) – The family of former Dartmouth head football coach Buddy Teevens is announcing today that they have directed a $25,000 award Teevens received from the NCAA to the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF). Teevens, Dartmouth football’s all-time winningest coach, was posthumously honored with the NCAA’s 2024 Pat Summitt Award for his devotion to the development of student-athletes, specifically for being a trailblazer for athlete safety. Teevens passed away in September 2024 at age 66.

The funds will be used by CLF to help sports organizations and teams develop CTE Prevention Protocols alongside their existing concussion protocols. CLF created the first CTE Prevention Protocol in 2023 after a post-mortem study of more than 600 football players’ brains showed that CTE risk is correlated not to diagnosed concussions but instead driven by the number and strength of head impacts experienced in sports. CTE Prevention Protocols use that data to develop guidelines for coaches to reduce the number and strength of hits in practices and develop education programs for their athletes.

“Buddy was passionate about the health of his players and doing whatever he could to keep them, and especially their brains, safe,” said Kirsten Teevens, Buddy’s wife. “I know it would mean a lot to him that this gift would continue his mission of making football safer for every player.”

Teevens was a pioneer, revolutionizing his practices by eliminating tackling in 2010 to protect his players from injuries like concussions, and to reduce their risk of CTE. He continued to innovate and seek out ways to keep his athletes safe, co-inventing the Mobile Virtual Player, a robotic tackling dummy that substituted for tackling teammates. At a Congressional Hearing on concussions in youth sports in 2016, Teevens famously said, “I love football. But I love my players more.”

CLF is honored to continue Teevens’ legacy of putting the health of players first by helping sports programs make practices safer.

“Coach Teevens deeply cared about the long-term welfare of his players,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF’s founding CEO. “He was the only football coach who asked me to make him aware of any of his former players who were diagnosed post-mortem with CTE. Coach Teevens would call those families to offer his condolences and learn more about their experience. He understood that how coaches design practice could influence whether or not their players eventually develop CTE.”

You can read and download CLF and Boston University’s CTE Prevention Protocol here.

Stanley Cup winner died by suicide at age 52 in 2024

(Boston) – The family of former NHL enforcer Chris Simon is releasing the results of his post-mortem brain tissue analysis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness of the urgent need for medical and mental health resources available to former hockey players struggling with the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts. Simon’s family donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center after he died by suicide in 2024 at age 52. Dr. Ann McKee diagnosed Simon with stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

“Mr. Simon had severe CTE pathology in areas of the brain involved with cognition and mood regulation, and it is likely CTE contributed to his memory problems, depression, and apathy,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “Individuals with a significant history of repetitive head impacts in sports who report these symptoms need to be taken seriously, and our team is committed to providing them the care they need while also continuing to advance CTE research.”

Suicide is complex and multifactorial, and a post-mortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered to confirm CTE as a cause of a suicide.

To date, 19 of 20 NHL players studied at the Boston University CTE Center, including Simon, have had CTE. The diagnoses of Bobby Hull, Ralph Backstrom, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, and Derek Boogaard were reported in a December 2024 BU study that found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played.

Simon played professionally for 21 years, including 15 seasons in the NHL. Over his NHL career, Simon fought more than 100 times and accumulated 1,824 penalty minutes.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman still refuses to acknowledge the link between playing in the NHL and developing CTE.

“With each new diagnosis of CTE in a former NHL player, the NHL’s lack of leadership on this issue becomes more intolerable,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF CEO. “Yet their denial strengthens our resolve to support the hockey community through our free HelpLine and advance research focused on diagnosing CTE during life and developing effective treatments.”

Statement from Linda and John Simon (parents) and Charlee Simon (sister):

Chris was suffering tremendously from CTE. We saw him declining but did not know where to turn to for help. Chris’ short term memory issues were ongoing for many years. We also learned that he had lost most of his hearing, had daily headaches, light sensitivity, paranoia, was easily frustrated with tasks, had extreme anxiety, difficulty navigating in a vehicle, apathy- lack of feeling and emotion, impulsivity, distancing himself from those who meant the most to him, had executive dysfunction – meaning he couldn’t plan or problem solve and he had suicidal thoughts at times. Chris really distanced himself from his family and friends the last three years of his life. This has been extremely difficult on us, as the Chris we knew had been gone for quite some time. Looking back we now realize that Chris likely started suffering from CTE in his late 20s to early 30s. Our entire family suffered for many years as we saw our son, brother, father, husband slip away from us and we couldn’t do anything to help him. Before we lost Chris to CTE, he was a very gentle, loving man whose family meant the world to him. We know that Chris would want more than anything that former players and families now know where to turn to for help if they suspect their loved one is suffering from TBI, PCS and CTE so they can get the support they desperately need.

Our family is extremely thankful to Dr. Ann McKee, Lisa McHale and all staff at Boston University CTE Center and the Concussion Legacy Foundation for all of their work and support. We are relieved that stage 3 CTE was definitively found in his brain as it will help bring some closure and healing to his family and friends. The unfortunate feeling of anger is also present due to the negligence of a professional league turning a blind eye to CTE and other significant brain injuries sustained in the sport of hockey.

Help is available for individuals and their families struggling with CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through peer support, resources, and doctor recommendations to experts like the new Memory & Aging Clinic at Boston Medical Center staffed by BU CTE Center clinicians. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

“The Golden Jet,” two-time NHL MVP suffered from stage 2 disease

(Boston) – The widow of Hockey Hall of Famer and two-time NHL MVP Bobby Hull is releasing the results of his post-mortem brain tissue analysis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts in hockey and encourage support for research. Hull’s family donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center after he passed away in 2023 at age 84. Researchers there diagnosed Hull with stage 2 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

“Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita’s family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE,” said Deborah Hull, Bobby’s wife of 39 years. “He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.”

For the last nearly 10 years of his life, Hull struggled with many of the cognitive symptoms of CTE such as short-term memory loss and impaired judgement. Deborah Hull says Bobby knew his historic career came at a price.

“We are grateful to Bobby Hull and all of the NHL players and families who are helping us learn how to prevent, diagnose, and treat CTE,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “We encourage retired players and their families to reach out for help and care if they are concerned about CTE, as we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life.”

In December 2024 the Boston University CTE Center published the largest ever study of deceased male hockey players, finding that 18 of 19 NHL players studied had CTE, including Hull, Ralph Backstrom, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, and Derek Boogaard. The BU study also found that the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played.

Hull played professionally for 23 years, 15 seasons in the NHL, most notably for the Chicago Blackhawks where he won a Stanley Cup, two Hart Memorial Trophies, three Art Ross Trophies and led the NHL in goals scored seven times.

Despite the research, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman still refuses to acknowledge the link between playing in the NHL and developing CTE.

“NHL families deserve to know that CTE can be a consequence of the head impacts they receive while playing the game,” said CLF CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski. “The NHL still shamelessly refuses to acknowledge this scientific truth, so we hope this message reaches current players so that they, at a minimum, can play with informed consent.”

CTE has also been diagnosed in amateur hockey players, but researchers suspect it is not diagnosed as frequently because amateurs tend to have shorter careers and therefore fewer head impacts.

Help is available for former hockey players and their families struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through doctor recommendations, peer support, and resources. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

3x Pro Bowler Dobler’s family sharing diagnosis to inspire research participation

(Boston) – The family of three-time NFL Pro Bowl guard Conrad Dobler is announcing his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the disease and inspire participation in CTE research. Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed Dobler with stage 3 (of 4) CTE after his death in 2023 at age 72.

“My dad loved the game of football, but his love for the game took a toll on his body, his mind, and his relationships,” said Erin Lewin, Dobler’s daughter who was his primary caregiver for the final few years of his life. “His CTE diagnosis provides a sense of closure in terms of justifying his neurological and behavioral issues that took a toll not only on him but on all of us who loved and cared for him. We are relieved to have a definitive answer and proud to honor his wish to go public with the findings to raise awareness for the risks of repetitive head trauma and for the research being done at Boston University.”

Dobler was a three-time Pro Bowl selection in the 1970s during his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. He went on to play for the Saints and Bills before retiring after 10 seasons in the league at age 31. During his NFL career, Dobler became well known for utilizing what many called unsportsmanlike tactics. A 1977 cover story in Sports Illustrated even crowned him “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player.” To many former teammates though, Dobler was a loyal, lifelong friend.

“Conrad started as my teammate and ultimately became my brother,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame lineman Dan Dierdorf, Dobler’s teammate in St. Louis. “It broke my heart to watch him struggle and slowly slip away. He was a force of nature… until he wasn’t.”

Dobler had a subtype of CTE discovered in 2024 by the Boston University CTE Center called cortical sparing CTE. Cortical sparing CTE has less severe neuron death in the cortex and tends to have slightly less severe cognitive symptoms, but earlier onset of behavioral symptoms.

Dobler pledged to donate his brain in 2010 when he was 59 and participated in clinical research at the Boston University CTE Center. His family says he was very passionate about CTE research, and he made it clear he wanted to play any role he could in making the game he loved so much safer.

“The support we have received from Conrad Dobler and the hundreds of former NFL players and their families who have participated in our research has put us on the cusp of diagnosing CTE in living people,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “With continued support from the NFL player community, we will eventually be able to prevent future families from suffering the indignities and pain of CTE.”

Right now, CTE can only be definitively diagnosed through neuropathological brain tissue analysis after death. The Concussion Legacy Foundation is currently actively recruiting for six clinical studies that will get researchers closer to diagnosing CTE in life using biomarkers and new types of brain imaging, understanding why some people get CTE and others do not, and looking at other changes in the brain caused by repetitive head impacts.

The Dobler family encourages all former football players interested in participating in research to sign up for the CLF Research Registry at CLFResearch.org.

CLF, Baughan to be honored by CBS Sports’ Ross Tucker on Thursday through NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign

(Boston) – The family of 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist and nine-time NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Maxie Baughan is announcing his CTE diagnosis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to encourage support for CTE research. Baughan was one of the NFL’s most feared linebackers in the 1960s for Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams. He helped the Eagles win an NFL title as a rookie and went on to coach for five NFL teams. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, diagnosed Baughan with stage 3 (of 4) CTE after his death in 2023 at age 85.

“Maxie dedicated so much of his life to the game of football,” said Dianne Baughan, Maxie’s wife of 62 years. “He would be proud to know his contribution to research would teach us how to make the game he loved safer and protect future athletes from suffering. Our family is touched by Ross Tucker’s decision to honor him.”

Baughan is one of three finalists to advance to the final stage of voting for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class in the Seniors category. Ross Tucker, a former NFL offensive lineman and current CBS Sports analyst, is honoring Baughan and former Chicago Bears and Yale captain Mike Pyle on his custom shoes through the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign. This marks the fourth consecutive year Tucker has selected CLF as his charitable organization. Tucker plans to wear the shoes during coverage of the Lions vs. Packers game on Thursday. Baughan was the defensive coordinator for the Lions from 1980 to 1982.

“I am proud to honor Maxie Baughan and Mike Pyle, two great players who helped build the NFL, but more importantly, are teaching us about CTE through brain donation,” said Tucker, who played seven seasons in the NFL and was an All-Ivy selection at Princeton. “It means a lot to me to recognize two Ivy League leaders and show my appreciation for all my fellow Ivy League athletes who have stepped up to support the Concussion Legacy Foundation’s End CTE campaign to help advance CTE prevention and research.”

Baughan made nine Pro Bowls with multiple All-Pro selections during his 13-year career. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame for his career at Georgia Tech and is also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame. He played a total of 25 years of tackle football, beginning at age 8. Baughan is among the brain donors who have taught the world that the more years one plays tackle football, the greater their odds of developing CTE.

Mike Pyle, captain of the last unbeaten Yale team and 1963 NFL champion Chicago Bears, was diagnosed with stage 4 CTE after his death in 2015.

Tucker will join dozens of other analysts and announcers in wearing custom tennis shoes and hundreds of NFL players in wearing custom cleats representing the charitable cause of their choice during Weeks 13 & 14. In previous years, Tucker has honored Junior Seau, Demaryius Thomas, Chris Eitzmann, and Tom McHale. The Baughan family gave Tucker permission to honor Maxie back in September.

Current and former football players can join Tucker in the fight to End CTE by signing up for the CLF Research Registry. Those who are interested can learn more about pledging their brain or participating in clinical research studies at CLFResearch.org.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa displayed a Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event (SHAAKE) after controversial undiagnosed concussion

(Boston, MA) — Concussion researchers have recognized a new concussion sign that could identify up to 33% of undiagnosed concussions. After a hit to the head, individuals sometimes quickly shake their head back and forth. Although it has been depicted in movies, television, and even cartoons for decades, this motion has never been studied, named, and does not appear on any medical or sports organization’s list of potential concussion signs. A new study, led by Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) CEO and co-founder Chris Nowinski, PhD, says it should.

The study, published today in Diagnostics, reveals that when athletes exhibit this movement, which Nowinski and senior author Dan Daneshvar, MD, PhD, Chief of Brain Injury Rehabilitation in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation and Harvard Medical School, have named a Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event or SHAAKE, athletes report they had a concussion 72% of the time. Among football players, the relationship was even stronger, with 92% of SHAAKEs associated with a concussion. A SHAAKE is usually initiated within seconds or minutes of an impact, involves lateral rotation side to side at a rate of 2 to 8 movements per second, typically lasts less than two seconds, and does not occur for another reason such as a form of communication.

Nowinski recognized SHAAKE as a concussion sign after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s controversial undiagnosed concussion during a game on September 25, 2022. After Tagovailoa’s head hit the ground, he rapidly shook his head side to side two separate times, before stumbling and collapsing. At the time, doctors attributed the collapse to a prior back injury, so he was not diagnosed with a concussion. Had Tagovailoa been diagnosed with a concussion, he likely would not have been playing in a game the following Thursday, where he lost consciousness after experiencing a suspected second concussion in four days and was removed from the field in a stretcher. Had SHAAKE been considered a sign of concussion, it would have provided doctors with additional evidence that his imbalance after the initial injury on September 25 was caused by ataxia due to concussion.

“Sports and medical organizations should immediately add SHAAKE to their lists of potential concussion signs,” Nowinski said. “Coaches, medical professionals, and concussion spotters should be trained to recognize when a SHAAKE happens and remove athletes for further assessment. It’s an easy change, with no downside, that could prevent catastrophic outcomes and save careers.”

For the study, 347 current and former athletes between the ages of 18 and 29 were surveyed. They were shown video examples of SHAAKEs and asked about their experiences with them. 69% reported exhibiting a SHAAKE, and 93% of those reported a SHAAKE in association with concussion at least once. Athletes reported exhibiting SHAAKEs a median of five times in their lives.

“In the athletes we studied, about three out of every four SHAAKEs happened because of a concussion,” said Daneshvar, who also serves as Co-Chair of Sports Concussion at Mass General Brigham. “Based on our data, SHAAKE is a reliable signal that a concussion may have occurred, like an athlete clutching their head after contact, being slow to get up, or losing their balance. Just like after these other concussion signs, if athletes exhibit a SHAAKE, they should be removed from play and evaluated for a potential concussion.”

The three most common reasons athletes reported for exhibiting a SHAAKE were “disorientation or confusion” (25%), “a feeling like you needed to jumpstart your brain” (23%), and “changes to your perception of space or perception of your body in space” (14%). Other reasons athletes reported for exhibiting a SHAAKE associated with a concussion included headache, dizziness, inability to keep their train of thought, and changes to vision, hearing, or balance. Reasons athletes exhibited a SHAAKE that are not associated with concussion include neck pain, chills, pain that was not a headache, and an emotional reaction to the preceding event.

“Studies consistently show that an unacceptably high number of their concussions are not voluntarily reported by athletes, either because they don’t realize they have a concussion or because, in the heat of the moment, they don’t want to be removed from the game,” said Robert Cantu, MD, CLF medical director and study co-author. “It is critical we take every potential concussion sign seriously to ensure the health and wellbeing of athletes.”

The main limitation of the study is the potential for recall bias due to survey participants self-reporting prior concussions. Most respondents were from the United States and Canada, and it is unclear if SHAAKE varies by country or culture. Future prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.

These findings appear online in the journal Diagnostics.

Authorship: In addition to Nowinski, Cantu, and Daneshvar, study authors include Samantha C. Bureau (CLF), Hye Chang Rhim (Spaulding); and Ross D. Zafonte, DO (University of Missouri).

Conflict of Interest: Nowinski reported nonfinancial support (travel reimbursement) from the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), NFL, World Rugby, WWE, and AEW (All Elite Wrestling); he has served as an expert witness in cases related to concussion and CTE and is compensated for speaking appearances and serving on the Players Advocacy Committee for the NFL Concussion Settlement. He also serves as an advisor and options holder for Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals, PreCon Health, and StataDx outside the submitted work. Daneshvar serves as an expert witness in legal cases involving brain injury and concussion and serves as an advisor and options holder for StataDx outside the submitted work. He receives funding from the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University, which is funded by the NFLPA and evaluates patients for the MGH Brain and Body TRUST Center, sponsored in part by the NFLPA.

Additional disclosures can be found in the paper.

Funding: This research received no external funding.

(Boston) – The widow and daughters of NHL veteran Greg Johnson are releasing the results of his post-mortem brain tissue analysis today through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the long-term effects of concussions and repetitive head impacts in hockey. Johnson, who played 14 seasons in the NHL, died by suicide five years ago this week at age 48. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, diagnosed Johnson with CTE, but was unable to definitively stage it due to the manner of death.

“This diagnosis took my breath away,” said Kristin Johnson, Greg Johnson’s wife of 22 years. “Greg’s death shattered our world, and we never once thought this disease was something he struggled with. He experienced very few symptoms that we knew of, but he spoke of his concussions often. I remember the exact moment he told me his heart condition forcing him to retire was a blessing because he couldn’t take another hit. He knew his hockey career had a profound impact on his brain.”

Johnson played hockey for 31 years, beginning at age 5. Never utilized as an enforcer, Johnson was known for his work ethic as a two-way forward. He was the second-ever team captain for the Nashville Predators, where he played from 1998-2006, and is remembered by his teammates as a soft-spoken, quiet leader. Johnson also spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. He won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1994 Olympics.

According to the National Institutes of Health, CTE is caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Leading scientists consider the presence of CTE to be confirmation of exposure to repeated TBIs, which most frequently occur in the context of repetitive head impacts received while playing contact sports. However, in early-stage cases, it is unclear if symptoms are related to CTE, TBIs, or other factors.

In addition, suicide is complex and multifactorial, and a post-mortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered as the cause of a suicide. However, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with suicide, independent of CTE. A 2019 study found that a diagnosed concussion doubles the risk of suicide. The relationship between TBI, CTE, and suicide has not been formally studied.

“I had no idea what CTE even stood for when my dad took his life,” said Carson Johnson, Greg Johnson’s eldest daughter. “Now understanding that the hits he endured throughout his hockey career damaged his brain, I want all athletes to understand the risks and I want the NHL to start acknowledging it exists and do more to protect its players so other daughters don’t have to lose their fathers.”

According to public records, 17 of 18 NHL players studied in the U.S. and Canada have now been diagnosed with CTE, including fellow Team Canada members Ralph Backstrom, Henri Richard, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, Steve Montador, and Bob Murdoch. CTE has also been diagnosed in amateur players.

“I’m so proud to have my dad’s legacy attached to this research and know the kindness and generosity he showed others during his life will continue to make a difference for years to come,” said Piper Johnson, Greg Johnson’s youngest daughter. “He truly was the best dad ever, and to lose him to suicide was beyond anything we could imagine. It was awful, but we want to talk about it to help others struggling know they are not alone, and there is help available.”

Help is available for former hockey players and their families struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through doctor recommendations, peer support, and resources. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Kristin, Carson, and Piper Johnson will not be taking any interview requests, and do not plan to speak further on the diagnosis beyond what is in this release. They ask for privacy at this time.

(Boston) – The family of Ray “Ray Ray” Lewis III is announcing the results of his brain tissue analysis through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) today to educate parents on the risks of youth tackle football and to encourage support for advancing CTE research. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, diagnosed Lewis with stage 2 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Lewis died from an accidental overdose in June 2023 at the age of 28.

“Little did I know when I put my son in tackle football at age 5, I ran the risk of having to bury him 22 years later,” said Tatyana McCall, Lewis’ mother. “I would have done something different now knowing the risks. We need to wait until our babies are at least 14 to allow them to play tackle football. It also breaks my heart that you have to die to get a diagnosis for this disease. Our family is committed to doing whatever we can to help raise funds to further the research so scientists can learn how to definitively diagnose CTE during life.”

“We are proud to honor Ray Ray’s legacy by teaching our youth about football safety while sharing and supporting research on CTE,” said Ray Lewis Jr., Ray Lewis III’s father and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker.

A June 2023 Boston University study found football players’ odds of developing CTE were closely related to the number and strength of head impacts they received over their career. A 2019 study from the same group found the odds of developing CTE may increase by as much as 30 percent with each year of tackle football played.

“Stories like Ray Ray Lewis’ remind us why we need to accelerate efforts to prevent and treat CTE,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO. “We thank his family for their dedication to research, education, and making football safer. Through brain donation, grieving football families have shown us how to make the sport safer. Now it is up to us all to act.”

In the years before his death, Lewis’ family says he experienced issues with his memory, often becoming extremely forgetful, and exhibited erratic, sporadic behavior and impulsivity. McCall suspected he was battling CTE. Lewis played football collegiately at the University of Miami, Coastal Carolina, and Virginia Union before a professional indoor football career.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. There is no known cure, but treatments are available for many symptoms of the disease. The CLF HelpLine is available to provide personalized support for any current or former athletes concerned about repetitive head trauma and looking for help. Patients and caregivers can submit a request here.