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NFL players are 4 times

more likely to develop
ALS, a new study shows
December 16, 2021 · 1:03 PM ET

JOE HERNANDEZ

Researchers examined all 19,423 NFL players who took the field for at
least one game from 1960 to 2019 in what the scientists said was the
largest study of ALS risk in professional football players.
Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

Professional football players in the NFL are four

times more likely to develop and die from ALS
than the adult male population, according to new
research.

Scientists at Boston University's CTE Center, who

conducted the study released Wednesday, said
they couldn't determine exactly why the rate was
higher for those athletes but suggested that
repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain
injuries may play a role.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou

Gehrig's disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative
disease with no known cure. ALS has been linked
to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE,
another degenerative brain disease found in many
former football players.

NATIONAL

Former NFL player Tim Green has a new

opponent — ALS

Researchers examined all 19,423 NFL players who

took the field for at least one game from 1960 to
2019 in what the scientists said was the largest
study of ALS risk in professional football players.
Previous, smaller studies have also found links
between league play and the disease.

The latest study found that 38 players had received

an ALS diagnosis during the study period and 28
had died, a four-fold increase over the rates for the
overall U.S. male population adjusted for age and
race.

Article continues after sponsor message

HEALTH

An ex-NFL player who killed 6 people and

then himself had CTE, doctors say

NFL players who developed ALS had significantly

longer careers than those who didn't get the
disease, but researchers said other factors like a
player's position, body mass index and race didn't
show any differences.

Other factors such as smoking, strenuous physical

exertion and exposure to environmental toxins
such as pesticides may also increase the risk of ALS
for NFL players, the study said.

The NFL did not immediately respond to NPR's

request for comment.

A version of this story originally appeared in the

Morning Edition live blog.

als lou gehrig's disease nfl

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