NFL.com via Good Morning America is confirming what most of us knew and suspected. After having extensive research done on his brain, deceased NFL great Junior Seau, who committed suicide last year, did in fact have signs of CTE.
CTE is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in those with a history of repetitive brain trauma. Seau played 20 years and went to 12 straight Pro Bowls while playing for the Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots.
The 43-year-old Seau was found with a self-inflicted gun shot wound in his Oceanside, Calif. home on May 2.
At the request of his family his brain was sent to National Institutes of Health for more advanced evaluation. There the NIH was able to confirm their findings, and they were released Thursday.
The NFL released this statement.
“We appreciate the Seau family’s cooperation with the National Institutes of Health. The finding underscores the recognized need for additional research to accelerate a fuller understanding of CTE. The NFL, both directly and in partnership with the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and other leading organizations, is committed to supporting a wide range of independent medical and scientific research that will both address CTE and promote the long-term health and safety of athletes at all levels. The NFL clubs have already committed a $30 million research grant to the NIH, and we look forward to making decisions soon with the NFL Players Association on the investment of $100 million for medical research that is committed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We have work to do, and we’re doing it.”