It was reported on Thursday, January 10th, 2013, that Junior Seau suffered from a degenerative brain disease called CTE.
Many sports fans wander what exactly is CTE?
CTE is the abbreviation for chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It is a degenerative disease, which usually involves individuals who suffered from multiple concussions or some type of head injury.
In Bethesda, Maryland, the National Institutes of Health performed studies on three unidentified brains, in which one of the brains was Junior Seau’s. Seau’s brain had abnormalities, which connected itself to CTE.
Many fans wandered why would Seau commit suicide, after dying from a shotgun wound.
Seau had played in the NFL for 20 years. During that time, although Seau was regarded as one of the best linebackers that every played the game and he took a lot of shots to the head.
Seau is only one of the many NFL players who suffer on a continual basis blows to the head. The National Football league is currently studying ways in which to protect NFL players even more than they are already protected.
There have been reports that there are currently 34 former players suffering from CTE.
The National Player Association is currently asking Congress to find ways to better to protect players. As part of the collective bargaining agreement, $100 million dollars was set aside for medical research to be performed on the issue.
Nearly 4,000 players are suing the NFL on the issue of the NFL ignoring the connection between brain damage and football.
In the coming weeks, more information will be given on how CTE is affecting former players in the NFL.
Football is a sport America loves, and dealing with how the sport affects its beloved athletes after they retire is hard for some fans to grasp.
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