http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/sports/football/frank-gifford-had-cte-family-says.html?_r=0
Frank Gifford, the Hall of Fame N.F.L. running back who was involved in one of the most brutal collisions in league history, was found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease.
The finding, which can only be confirmed posthumously, was announced by Giffords family on Wednesday, more than three months after Gifford died. His family said it hoped that in publicizing the diagnosis, more attention would be paid to medical research linking football and traumatic brain injury.
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 he was diagnosed with the disease, known commonly as C.T.E., the Gifford family said in a statement. During the last years of his life Frank dedicated himself to understanding the recent revelations concerning the connection between repetitive head trauma and its associated cognitive and behavioral symptoms which he experienced firsthand.
...
Giffords family would not be eligible for any award under the terms of the settlement between the N.F.L. and the retired players who accused the league of hiding from them the dangers of repeated head hits. Only players who were found to have C.T.E. and who died before the settlement was approved in late April may receive up to $4 million. Gifford died in August. The settlement, however, is under appeal and could be amended.
I really don't know how the NFL is going to ultimately deal with this CTE issue.
