NFL great Frank Gifford, who died in August of reported natural causes, had a brain disease that may have stemmed from his Hall of Fame football career, his family said in a statement released Wednesday.
The family revealed that it had medical researchers study Gifford’s brain after he died at age 84, and that those pathologists found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative brain disease.
“We decided to disclose our loved one’s condition to honor Frank’s legacy of promoting player safety dating back to his involvement in the formation of the NFL Players Association in the 1950s,” the family said in a written statement. “His entire adult life Frank was a champion for others, but especially for those without the means or platform to have their voices heard. He was a man who loved the National Football League until the day he passed, and one who recognized that it was — and will continue to be — the players who elevated this sport to its singular stature in American society.”
Gifford began with the New York Giants primarily as a defensive back who also played offense, then was switched to primarily a running back who also played defense. In 12 NFL seasons, he was All-Pro six times, was voted the league’s most valuable player in 1956, when he led the Giants to the league championship, and made the Pro Bowl eight times, at three positions — defensive back, running back and flanker.
Gifford famously was knocked unconscious in a game. He had to sit out a season to fully recover from the violent tackle by another of the dwindling number of two-way players, Chuck Bednarik of the Philadelphia Eagles.
After his football career, Gifford became more famous for his low-key role as the even-handed play-by-play “Monday Night Football” announcer, a role he held for 27 years.
The family’s statement continued: “During the last years of his life Frank dedicated himself to understanding the recent revelations concerning the connection between repetitive head trauma and its associated cognitive and behavioral symptoms — which he experienced first-hand. We miss him every day, now more than ever, but find comfort in knowing that by disclosing his condition we might contribute positively to the ongoing conversation that needs to be had; that he might be an inspiration for others suffering with this disease that needs to be addressed in the present; and that we might be a small part of the solution to an urgent problem concerning anyone involved with football, at any level.”
Gifford’s family said it would continue to support the NFL, along with its rule and procedural changes aimed at making the game safer.
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