Family Reveals Frank Gifford Suffered From CTE

CTE is a serious issue for athletes involved in tough/contact supports, but can only be diagnosed postmortem. CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) is usually seen in athletes who have sustained concussions, sometimes multiple concussions over the course of their careers. Will Smith is currently staring in a film titled “Concussion,” that will hopefully shed more light on this disease.  Frank Gifford, husband of TV host Kathie Lee Gifford, played for the New York Giants from 1952 until 1961, then returning from 1962 to 1964. In 1960, in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles,  Gifford suffered a severe head injury after being knocked out in a passing play.

Gifford passed away August 9, 2015 and since then, an autopsy revealed that he suffered from CTE. “While Frank passed away from natural causes this past August at the age of 84, our suspicions that he was suffering from the debilitating effects of head trauma were confirmed when a team of pathologists recently diagnosed his condition,” the family said in a statement. 

Frank Gifford was an advocate for player safety in the NFL. His family has decided to donate his brain for research on CTE “in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury.” 

CTE has been linked to players in the past who have gone on violent episodes, killing themselves and sometimes others. Frank Gifford experienced some cognitive and behavioral symptoms firsthand.