Projo Sports Blog

Twelve athletes, including former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson, have agreed to donate their brains after their deaths to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University, which plans to study the long-term effects of concussions.

According to The New York Times, the center is planning to announce this week that John Grimsley, a former Houston Oilers linebacker who died in February when he shot himself in the chest in what the police ruled an accident, had brain damage commonly associated with boxers. Grimsley would be the fifth deceased former player found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, joining the former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Andre Waters and the former Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Webster, Terry Long and Justin Strzelczyk.

Johnson, whose neurologist has said multiple concussions from 2002 through his 2005 retirement resulted in permanent and degenerative problems with memory and depression, says he hopes the study will clarify the issue of concussions' long-term effects.

The NFL is conducting a separate study into the issue, and the findings will probably be published in 2010, according to a league spokesman.

In addition to Johnson, the athletes who have agreed to donate their brains for examination include former Redskins, Oilers and Titans tight end Frank Wycheck;
former Seahawks and Rams linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski; former 49ers center Ben Lynch; former Florida Panthers hockey player Noah Welch; and former U.S. women's soccer national team member Cindy Parlow.

 Tags  concussions New England Patriots Ted Johnson

1 Comments

Steve said:

Donating a brain, that's just dopey, what a PR campaign for the NFL. This will make it look like something is being done, yet nothing will come of it, not for three decades or so.
Andrew Alberts took action along with many other NHL players , to get fitted with an orthotic device used and developed with the N.E. Patriots. Others like Bergeron must protect themselves from this specific type of injury. Blows to the jaw are now the focus of the NFL, NHL and MMA. It's about time, big mystery, the 'Glass Jaw" that is. www.mahercor.com

Link | September 27, 2008 12:26 AM
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