O.J. Brigance Dies at 56 After 19-Year ALS Battle

Q: Could the intense physical demands of Brigance's professional football career have played a role in his subsequent battle with ALS?

Possibly, but it cannot be said with certainty in Brigance’s individual case. ALS usually has no single known cause, and most cases are considered sporadic. However, growing research suggests former NFL players face a higher risk of neurodegenerative disease, including ALS, than the general population. A recent large study of nearly 20,000 former NFL players found they died from neurodegenerative diseases at almost four times the expected rate, and ALS deaths before age 50 occurred far more often than population models predicted. Researchers say one leading theory is that repetitive head impacts and other trauma from football may contribute to disease processes tied to ALS. Studies have pointed to abnormal buildup of TDP-43, a protein implicated in ALS, in people exposed to repeated brain injury. Longer NFL careers have also been associated with higher neurodegenerative risk. That said, these findings show an association, not proof that football directly caused Brigance’s ALS. Many athletes never develop the disease, and some ALS patients have no history of contact sports. Genetics, environmental exposures and chance may also play roles. So the fairest answer is that the physical demands and repeated impacts of professional football could have been a contributing factor, and current evidence supports that possibility. But no public evidence establishes that Brigance’s playing career caused his ALS.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Aug 17

Brigance died Monday at 56, the Ravens said, ending a 19-year fight with ALS that made him one of Baltimore’s most visible advocates for the disease.
The former linebacker helped set the tone for Baltimore’s 2000 Super Bowl season, recording the first tackle in Super Bowl XXXV after arriving in the city with the CFL’s Stallions.
His 7-year NFL playing career ended after the 2002 season, but he returned to the Ravens in player engagement and helped the club win the NFL’s Best Overall Player Development Program award in 2005 and 2006.
Diagnosed in 2007, Brigance and his wife Chanda founded the Brigance Brigade Foundation, which raised money and awareness for ALS while helping patients and families access equipment, support services and guidance.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and executive Ozzie Newsome called Brigance a beloved mentor whose impact on the team, the city and the search for an ALS cure would endure.