One in four NFL players had CTE at death

Forbes cited research by biomedical engineers at the University of Cincinnati to provide context about a startling new report that found one in four NFL players had evidence of brain damage at death.

Forbes highlighted a new study by Boston University published in the medical journal The BMJ that examined the brains of NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021. Researchers extrapolated the percentage of NFL players who die with evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: a staggering 25%.

CTE is a type of brain damage associated with concussions.

In its report, Forbes highlighted a 2026 study by UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Professor Eric Nauman and doctoral student Sean Bucherl. They found that the latest generation of position-specific helmets made by Riddell and Vicis did not protect as well against blows that can cause concussions compared to their new traditional helmets.

Nauman and his research partners have been conducting independent tests of football helmets worn by children and adults alike.

UC's study also found that the back of the helmet remains most vulnerable to blows that can cause concussions in the latest testing.

The work was conducted at UC's Human Injury Research and Regenerative Technologies Lab at the university's Bioscience Center. UC's study this year was published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments.

Featured image at top: UC doctoral student Sean Bucherl works with a dummy head fitted with sensors and a modal hammer to measure blows capable of causing concussions in UC Professor Eric Nauman's lab at the Bioscience Center. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC