Ray Lewis III, son of Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, diagnosed with stage 2 CTE

(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.