Sep 22, 2017 Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end who committed suicide in April while serving a life sentence for murder, was found to have one of the most severe forms of C.T.E., the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma that has been found in more than 100 former N.F.L. players. A lawyer for Hernandez, Jose Baez, in announcing the result at a news conference Thursday, said researchers determined it was “the most severe case they had ever seen in someone of Aaron’s age,” which was 27. Hernandez is the latest former N.F.L. player to have committed suicide and then been found with C.T.E., or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, joining Dave Duerson, Junior Seau, Andre Waters, Ray Easterling and Jovan Belcher, among others. Seau and Duerson shot themselves in the chest so that researchers would be able to examine their brains. Hernandez was found hanging in his prison cell. Seau, Duerson and Waters were all older than 40, while Hernandez is one of the youngest former N.F.L. players to have been found with the disease. In July, researchers at Boston University released findings that showed that they had found C.T.E. in the brains of 110 of the 111 former N.F.L. players they had examined. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Baez said he has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Patriots and the N.F.L. on behalf of Hernandez’s daughter. Continue reading the main story 111 N.F.L. Brains. All But One Had C.T.E. JULY 25, 2017 The Fall of Aaron Hernandez APRIL 19, 2017 A Business Deal and a Murder, Seen Through the Rearview Mirror APRIL 27, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Hernandez’s brain was examined by Dr. Ann McKee, a professor of pathology and neurology at Boston University and director of the team researching C.T.E. She said in a statement that he had stage 3, out of 4. Sports Get the big sports news, highlights and analysis from Times journalists, delivered to your inbox every week. Thank you for subscribing. View all New York Times newsletters. See Sample Privacy Policy Opt out or contact us anytime The discovery of C.T.E. adds another turn in Hernandez’s meteoric rise and fall. After a standout career at Florida, Hernandez signed a record $40 million contract with the Patriots in 2012, when he was 22 years old. Just five years before, he had been working menial jobs in his hardscrabble hometown of Bristol, Conn., where he drove a $300 used car he bought with money borrowed from friends. Yet 10 months after he signed his contract, in 2013, the body of a friend who had been shot multiple times, was discovered. He was convicted of the friend’s murder, was accused and acquitted of two other killings from 2012 and became a stark example of out-of-control, off-field behavior by N.F.L. players. Even his demise was filled with turmoil. After Hernandez died, Baez called a news conference in front of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and accused the state of “illegally” withholding Hernandez’s brain. Hernandez’s body had been discovered the day before tied with a bedsheet to the window of his prison cell in Shirley, Mass. His death was later ruled a suicide. The findings may help Hernandez’s family if it chooses to file for an award in the class-action settlement with the N.F.L. Players who are younger than 45 when they are found to have C.T.E. can receive as much as $4 million. Those who died after the settlement was approved in April 2015 are not eligible for an award, but Hernandez’s family could argue for an exemption. Aaron Hernandez Found to Have Severe C.T.E.
Sep 23, 2017 He ran with pieces of s--- before he even made it to college football. He's also suspected of killing someone in Florida when he was in school there. They say at the very least 75% of all players in the NFL have CTE. The majority of them don't k--- people. CTE didn't cause him to k--- anyone
Sep 23, 2017 i mean, yeah, of course, i didn't think anyone was seriously making the case that this caused him to be a murderer. i think the newsworthy thing is that the CTE was this bad in a guy who had stopped playing football by 23(?)
Sep 23, 2017 Will be interesting to see how much the NFL suffers from this overall, in the next 20 or so years. High School participation is at an all time low and players are retiring in their prime. The most popular sport in this country is going to change drastically if it even survives. Will be good for baseball though
Sep 23, 2017 I probably have CTE lol, played Football from age 6 to 18, 6 concussions, 4 in 3 years at one point.
Sep 23, 2017 basketball is getting higher ratings atm since football has this problem along with the legal battles football is dealing with
Sep 23, 2017 only two of them were really bad, my junior year I literally cracked my helmet down the side from a head 2 head hit. the other were minor but who knows, you see so many people have concussions that they don't know about so there's a good chance I had more.
Sep 23, 2017 Yeah, they tried to fix the issue by making players tackle lower. Now knee and foot injuries are getting higher lol. The way there's no guaranteed contracts in the NFL makes it so much more appealing to do something like basketball or baseball where you can play into your 40s, have a fat contract and still be able to play with your kids when you retire
Sep 23, 2017 Yeah that's crazy. Back in high school they didn't give a s--- about concussions as long as you were good to play. Now if you get more than one, they want you to get tested and think about sitting out for good. I wonder if Welker got as f----- up in his younger years as he did in the NFL. That guys brain has to be f-----
Sep 23, 2017 Yeah they take it very serious now. U have to go through so much s--- to get back onto the field after having one. One season I played 4 games with a concussion without knowing until I had a insane migraine at practice.
