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The late Frank Wycheck, remembered for the passing game that started the iconic “Music City Miracle” play, suffered from late-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the researchers said.
Wychek died in December 2023 after a fall at his home in Tennessee. He made clear his desire to collaborate with experts in CTE research and related brain injuries.
A study of Wycheck’s brain conducted by researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center confirms the former Tennessee Titans The star tight end also suffered from a degenerative brain disease in the final years of his life.
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Frank Wycheck of the Tennessee Titans during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Adelphia Stadium in Nashville on December 10, 2000. (Scott Halleran/Allsport)
Wycheck was diagnosed with stage III CTE. Stage 4 is the most severe form of the disease and can lead to dementia, memory loss and depression. According to the agency, CTE can occur after repeated injuries to the head, such as concussions or blows to the head. mayo clinic.
A 2017 study Research conducted by the Boston University CTE Center concluded that 99 percent of former NFL players have at least trace amounts of the neurodegenerative disease in their brains. Researchers studied the brains of 202 former football players.
Wycheck, a three-time Pro Bowl tight end who played for National Football League From 1993 to 2003, he started in Washington and ended his career with the Houston Oilers, who moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.
Wycheck’s family said in a statement that they were grateful for the diagnosis, which they believe further highlights concerns about CTE in contact sports such as football. They hope to honor his legacy with a stronger commitment to player safety and support for head injury victims.
His daughters said their family struggled to understand the physical and mental changes Wycheck was going through, believing he was simply missing out on the spotlight of his career.
Frank Wycheck celebrates the Tennessee Titans’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Playoffs on January 11, 2003 in Nashville. (Simon Brutty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“We watched our father become increasingly isolated and experience dramatic mood swings. He became more impulsive and often erratic and unreliable,” Deanna Wycheck Szabo said in a statement. “Now in hindsight, I understand that he suffered from CTE symptoms due to repeated trauma to his brain and body during his 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 Breeden/Getty Images)
Szabo said Wycheck loved football and his teammates. She said he spent years after his retirement trying to bring attention to the symptoms and struggles he knew were caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but he often felt ignored and helpless. Szabo also said she hopes her family will be educated about the symptoms of CTE and know what to look for, and now hopes to increase intervention, education and support for NFL alumni and their families.
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“We no longer believe there is anything inherently wrong with him, but know that he did the best he could as a father and friend in circumstances beyond his control,” Sabo said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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