Frank Gifford's family says CTE found in his brain

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP) — The family of Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford says signs of the degenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy were found in his brain after his death.

In a statement released through NBC News on Wednesday, the family said he had "experienced firsthand" symptoms associated with CTE but did not offer specifics. Gifford died of natural causes at his Connecticut home in August at age 84.

His widow, Kathie Lee Gifford, is a host for NBC's "Today."

The statement said that the family "made the difficult decision to have his brain studied in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury."

FULL story at link.


FILE - In this Nov. 20, 1960, file photo, Chuck Bednarik (60) of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on as Frank Gifford of the New York Giants is put on a stretcher in the last quarter of a football game at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Eagles' Bobby Walston (83) is at right. Gifford was carried off the field unconscious and rushed to a hospital where he was reported to have a severe concussion. The family of Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford says signs of the degenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy were found in his brain after his death. In a statement released through NBC News on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015, the family says Gifford suffered from unspecified “cognitive and behavioral symptoms” in his later years. He died suddenly of natural causes at his Connecticut home in August at age 84. (AP Photo/Harry Harris, File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b4905a1293e440f693514a7f770b60c4/frank-giffords-family-says-cte-found-his-brain

[randys1]

1. CONCUSSION new movie with Will Smith about this

[Agnosticsherbet]

2. The time may come when Football may be labled too dangerous to play...

[niyad]

4. never happen. the owners, etc., make wayyyyy too much money from it.

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. They could play it with drones. Imagine the money they will save when they don't have to pay players

to kill themselves slowly.

[niyad]

6. drones, or robots.

[Agnosticsherbet]

7. The technology isn't there for fully autonomous robots.

They could start with drones. Drone pilots who leave the Air Force to become civilians could find good work that way.

[melm00se]

18. In 1962

[Agnosticsherbet]

19. Ahh, the Jetsons. The furtue of Football. Happy Thanksgiving.

[smiley]

20. Lol

This cartoon is the first thing that came to my mind. The Jetsons?

[mopinko]

9. when parent stop signing their kids up for football teams

the sport will die a natural death. it is happening already.
just heard the teaser today, but there is an npr story that 18 people died playing football this year, mostly high school kids.
no scholarship is worth that.

[Agnosticsherbet]

10. I refused to sign my kids up.

Most people do not feel that way.

[Hoppy]

14. If they ain't banned boxing and MMA, they ain't gonna ban football.

[niyad]

3. not surprising in the least. football is a deadly "sport".

[chapdrum]

8. So, what is the solution?

The logical conclusion is that football be banned…and that's as likely to happen as NASCAR races ending.

It's (only) money that matters, in the USA.

[Travis_0004]

11. We have made a lot of strides in the last 30 years

More is known about concussions, a doctor is present at all games, and has the authority to remove a kid from the game who has a concussion, and helmets are better.

I don't think football is going anywhere. If my kid wants to play I would let them.

[philosslayer]

12. Simple

Ban helmets. Normal people don't run head first into things. Wearing a helmet makes football players feel invincible. They aren't. I don't recall rugby having a similar problem with concussions. I could be wrong if anyone has data.

[chapdrum]

15. Good, well-founded idea, except

for the likelihood that the game would become less popular.
My sense is that the average fan likes to see the hits, gratuitous and otherwise.
In that, it has much in common with ice hockey.

[NJCher]

13. well, they said that about tobacco, too

At one time it was inconceivable that one could not smoke in their own home. Now there is legislation pending that will prohibit people from smoking in an apartment house.


Cher

[tavernier]

16. My smart 12 year old grandkid told me

that as much as he loved watching football, he didn't want to be "creamed" by three guys running at him (years ago at football practice). His dad was the high school coach and so it was kind of expected of him.

He now makes 6 figures in the non sports world at age 25, and still loves football.

His dad never pushed him to the game; in fact, he coaches baseball and soccer and is very athletic.

I could never understand the macho-ism with guys and football.

[Dr. Xavier]

17. I always wondered how he put with Kathie Lee....

Too soon???