Chris Henry Suffering From Brain Damage While Playing in NFL
Chris Henry, the former Cincinnati Bengals receiver, was recently identified as the first National Football League player to have died with trauma-induced brain damage while still being an active member of the NFL. Henry died last December during a domestic dispute when he fell from the back of a pickup truck driven by his fiancée.
Researchers at the Brain Injury Research Institute at West Virginia University believe that Henry developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) during his time in the NFL. The discovery of CTE in some retired NFL players has fueled debate about the dangers of playing football. Henry is the first active member of the NFL to be recognized as having CTE while still playing.
Additionally, Henry, who died at age 26, was the youngest NFL player with CTE according to a New York Times report. The previous youngest was lineman Justin Strzelczyk, 36, who had been retired from the Pittsburgh Steelers for five years before his death in 2004.
Unfortunately, CTE evidence can only be detected by examining brain tissue after death. Therefore, testing on current players is not an option in order to determine if other current NFL players have CTE and other serious forms of brain damage.