Study Finds NFL Players 4 Times More Likely to Die Due to Neurodegenerative Disease

NFL players 4 times more likely to die of brain disease, study finds — Harvard Gazette

Health NFL players 4 times more likely to die of brain disease, study finds Despite living longer overall, neurodegenerative mortality risk dramatically elevated Mass General Brigham Communications July 8, 2026 5 min read A new study found that National Football League players are four times likelier to die due to neurodegenerative disease than the general population. The cohort study of nearly 20,000 NF…

NFL players have higher rates of neurodegenerative disease-caused mortality

​Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation cohort study of nearly 20,000 NFL players reveals that players are dying of dementia and Parkinson's disease at much higher rates than the general population.

Players Of This Sport Have Nearly 4X Higher Risk Of Brain Diseases

A new study of nearly 20k NFL players found they are four times more likely to die from neurodegenerative disease. Read what this means for contact sports.

NFL players 4 times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease, new study finds

A new study reviewed health data from 19,824 football players who participated in at least one game between 1960 and 2019. The results were 'immense.'

Study finds NFL players 4 times more likely to die due to neurodegenerative disease

A new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion & CTE Foundation found that National Football League (NFL) players had higher rates of neurodegenerative disease-caused mortality than the general population. A cohort study of nearly 20,000 NFL players revealed that, while players had lower mortality on average compared with national rates, they were four times more likely to experience neurodegenerative mortality. Resu…

Study Finds NFL Players Four Times More Likely to Die Due to Neurodegenerative Disease

Mass General Brigham, Boston University, and the Concussion & CTE Foundation cohort study of nearly 20,000 NFL players reveals that players are dying of dementia and Parkinson’s disease at much higher rates than the general population.