BU Study Finds 7 NFL Players With Advanced CTE Got Level 0 Settlement Ratings
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 2
BU Study Finds 7 NFL Players With Advanced CTE Got Level 0 Settlement Ratings
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Sep 2
Summary
Seven former NFL players later found to have Stage 3 or 4 CTE all received the baseline assessment program’s lowest impairment rating, leaving them ineligible for concussion-settlement compensation.
Six of those seven showed measurable cognitive impairment during life, according to the Boston University study of 33 deceased former players published in JAMA Network Open.
Memory problems were most common, affecting 63% of participants, followed by executive-function impairment at 52% and language impairment at 41%, suggesting the settlement’s diagnostic criteria can miss objective deficits tied to confirmed CTE.
The 2014 NFL Concussion Settlement has paid out $1.7 billion as of Aug. 31, 2026, and the findings could intensify scrutiny of how former players are evaluated for awards.