The late Frank Wycheck, known for the pass that started the iconic play Music City Miracle, had an advanced stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers say. .
Wycheck died in December 2023 after falling at his home in Tennessee. He has made it clear that he wants to work with experts on CTE research and related brain injuries.
A study of Wycheck's brain conducted by researchers at Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center found that the former Tennessee Titans star tight end also suffered from a degenerative brain disease during the final years of his life. was confirmed.
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Frank Wycheck of the Tennessee Titans plays against the Cincinnati Bengals at Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville on December 10, 2000. (Scott Halleran/All Sports)
Wycheck was diagnosed with CTE Stage III. Stage IV is the most severe form of the disease and can lead to dementia, memory loss, and depression. According to , CTE can occur after repeated head trauma, such as a concussion or head blow. mayo clinic.
A 2017 study conducted by the Boston University CTE Center concluded that 99% of former NFL players have at least trace amounts of the neurodegenerative disease in their brains. Researchers studied the brains of 202 former soccer players.
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A three-time Pro Bowl tight end, Wycheck played in the NFL in 1993 and 2003, starting in Washington and finishing his career with the Houston Oilers, who moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.
Wycheck's family said in a statement that they are grateful for the diagnosis and believe it further highlights concerns about CTE in contact sports like soccer. They want to honor his legacy with a stronger commitment to player safety and support for those affected by head injuries.
The daughters said the family had a hard time understanding the physical and mental changes Wycheck was experiencing and thought Wycheck was just missing out on the career spotlight.
Frank Wycheck celebrates the Tennessee Titans' victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 11, 2003 in Nashville. (Simon Brutie/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“I witnessed my father becoming increasingly isolated and emotionally volatile. He became more impulsive, often inconsistent and unreliable,” Deanna Wycek Szabo said in a statement. said. “In hindsight, we now know that he was suffering from CTE symptoms due to the repeated trauma to his brain and body over 11 seasons in the NFL.”
Former Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck runs onto the field before a game against the San Diego Chargers at LP Field in Nashville on September 22, 2013. (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Szabo said Wycheck loves football and his teammates. She said he too often felt ignored and powerless and fought for years after his retirement to draw attention to the symptoms and suffering he knew were caused by CTE. Szabo also said he wishes families had been educated on what to look out for when it comes to CTE symptoms, and now wants more interventions, education and support for NFL alumni and their families.
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“Instead of thinking there was something inherently wrong with him, I now see that he was doing his best as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control,” Sabo said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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