Dave Duerson purposefully shot himself in the chest, because he wanted his brain to be studied. He had a feeling that his brain had been damaged because of his time in the NFL.
According to this Boston University he might have been right.
The Boston University center that studies brain injuries to professional athletes says former NFL player Dave Duerson had brain damage when he committed suicide in February.
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at the B.U. School of Medicine announced on Monday its findings on its examination of Duerson’s brain. The safety who began his NFL career with the Chicago Bears was 50 when he shot himself in the chest.
Unfortunately this isn’t anything new. When you bash your head against another human being continuously for three hours there are going to risks.
Concussions and brain injuries have to be taken seriously by the players and owners while they are bickering over the lock out, so these type of stories and tragedies happen.