CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, is a very progressive and fatal brain disease largely found in players of the NFL. It is caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries or severe head trauma, such as concussions and repeated blows to the head. 

The most common symptoms of CTE are diffuclty thinking, impulsive behavior, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and parkinson syndrom. According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE symptoms don’t develop right after a head injury, however, experts believe that they may develop over years or decades after said repeated head trauma.

Towards the end of their careers, many football players take a massive toll of head injuries by being hit and tackled in games. In hopes of reducing life threatening damage to more players, the NFL has recently talked to Ben Syphigil, a New York Times publisher, on “strengthen[ing] rules against hitting quarterbacks and players who lower their helmets to initiate contact.” To limit the amount of concussions coming from unprotected tackles. The NFL has also stated that they will be installing a head-injury spotter in the press boxes of all games saying that “the spotters include doctors and neuro-trauma specialists on the sideline; and experts in neuro-cognitive testing in the locker room. The league [will] also strengthen rules against hitting quarterbacks and players who lower their helmets to initiate contact.”