# Study estimates 75% of NFL players who died over 15\-year span had CTE - HackerByte page: - Original source: - Hacker News discussion: - Submitted to Hacker News: 2026-11-03T15:38:04.000Z A research finding on the prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy \(CTE\) in professional American football players. ## AI-generated summary A new study published in JAMA Network Open estimates that approximately 75% of former NFL players who died over a 15\-year period showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy \(CTE\). This figure is significantly higher than previous estimates and highlights the ongoing challenges in diagnosing CTE, which can currently only be confirmed through autopsy. While not all individuals with CTE signs develop dementia, researchers also estimated that about 27% of the studied players had dementia, likely linked to CTE. ## Key points - An estimated 75% of former NFL players studied had signs of CTE. - This is the highest estimate to date, three times higher than a recent study. - CTE can only be diagnosed through autopsy, making prevalence studies challenging. - Approximately 27% of the studied players were estimated to have dementia. - The NFL continues to implement measures to reduce head impacts in the game.