A study by Mass General Brigham examined brains of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 and found CTE in at least 25 percent of cases. The finding is based on autopsies from a self-selected group of donors. Available reporting draws exclusively from left-center sources, limiting perspective diversity.
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The finding highlights how the NFL externalizes health costs onto a predominantly Black workforce while prioritizing profits.
“Corporate power and racial/class inequities in sports labor”
The data reflect voluntary participation and inherent risks in a contact sport chosen by adult athletes for competition and reward.
“Individual agency and cultural value of toughness over regulatory intervention”
Adult athletes accept known risks through negotiated contracts; private mechanisms such as unions and insurance should address safety rather than external controls.
“Voluntary employment and informed consent in a competitive labor market”
All three views overlook that the sample consists of self-selected symptomatic donations, rendering the 25% figure closer to a case series than a true prevalence estimate, and none address missing control data or pre-contract youth exposure.
“Methodological selection bias and incomplete causal attribution”
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Mass General Brigham Study Reports CTE in at Least 25 Percent of Examined Former NFL Players Who Died 2016-2021 You are here