CINCINNATI -- A former Bengals great said he thinks he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE -- and he thinks all other football players have it, too.
“If I died tomorrow and my brain was taken and researched and I was found to have CTE, which most likely I have, because I think all football players probably have it,” Esiason said during his radio show Boomer & Carton.
A study conducted at Boston University found evidence of CTE in the brains of 110 out of 111 former NFL players. The study's findings were published last week.
However, the study was conducted postmortem with brains donated to science by former players or their surviving family members who "had already seen symptoms of CTE," Sports Illustrated reported.
As the result of several lawsuits, the NFL agreed to give disability payments to former and current players with symptoms of CTE. Right now, more than 14,500 players are registered to receive benefits, the Washington Post reported.
“The more we learn about our brains the better it is for the guys who are playing today," Esiason said on the radio show. "The good news for the guys playing today, especially the guys who play a long time, they get paid a hell of a lot more than we ever did.”
Esiason played quarterback for the Bengals from 1984 to 1992 and returned to the Bengals in 1997. His career in the NFL spanned over 14 seasons. During that time, he won the NFL Most Valuable Player (1988), AFC Player of the Year (1988) and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (1995). He led the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII in 1988.
Sports Illustrated described one hit in 1995 that left Esiason unconscious for two minutes. He had no memory of the hit.
Esiason said he believes he was the first NFL player ever placed in concussion protocol.
For more concussion coverage, visit wcpo.com/concussion
