BOSTON – Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is the latest in a growing list of football players diagnosed with CTE.
His family said Tuesday that researchers found that Thomas, who died in December at age 33, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was dealing with depression, anxiety and other CTE symptoms at the time of his death.
CTE, a degenerative brain disease which can only be diagnosed posthumously, has been found in hundreds of former NFL players as well as semi-pro and high school players. Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau had CTE when he died in 2012 of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Hall of Famers Ken Stabler, Frank Gifford and Mike Webster also were diagnosed with CTE.
Boston University CTE Center researchers discovered that Thomas was at stage 2 after a brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Thomas’ family released the findings of the study.
“Once I became aware of CTE and began to familiarize myself with the symptoms, I noticed that Demaryius was isolating himself and I saw other changes in him,” Katina Smith, Demaryius’ mother, said in a statement. “He was just so young, and it was horrible to see him struggle. His father and I hope all families learn the risks of playing football. We don’t want other parents to have to lose their children like we did.”
Stage 2 CTE is associated with “progressive behavior, cognitive and mood abnormalities.” Family members say Thomas developed depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and trouble with his memory in the years before his death. Stage 4 is the most severe stage of CTE and is usually associated with dementia.
“Like so many that have gone before, we found stage 2 CTE in the brain of Demaryius Thomas. The question I keep asking myself is, ‘When will enough be enough?’ When will athletes, parents and the public at large stop ignoring the risks of American football and insist that the game be changed to reduce subconcussive hits?” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the BU CTE Center and VA-BU-CLF/UNITE Brain Bank.
CLF co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski arranged the study through Thomas’ family.
“The football community would have no idea why so many former players struggle with neurological disorders after their career without the families who say yes to brain donation, so I want to thank Bobby Thomas and Katina Smith – and all families – for their trust in Dr. McKee and this team,” said Nowinski, a former football player at Harvard. “I hope this is a wake-up call to high profile current and former NFL players that CTE is rampant among them, and they need to get involved in creating real solutions. CTE should be their number one off-the-field issue.”
Thomas is one of more than 300 former NFL players who have been diagnosed with CTE by McKee and the BU CTE Center research team.
Thomas’ cause of death has not yet been identified. In 2021, Thomas began experiencing seizures. McKee told ABC News she believes the seizures were caused by severe traumatic injuries off the football field, including a car wreck and a fall on stone stairs.
“CTE itself does not cause death. You don’t die from CTE. What CTE does is it changes your behavior and your personality,” McKee said.
Thomas played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Houston Texans. He won a Super Bowl with the Broncos and Peyton Manning following the 2015 season.
Thomas had 724 catches for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been added to the new Broncos ownership group.
Rob Walton announced the inclusion of Rice in a statement issued Monday on behalf of the Walton-Penner family ownership group. The group agreed to buy the franchise from the Pat Bowlen Trust last month for a reported $4.65 billion. It’s pending approval by the NFL.
“A highly respected public servant, accomplished academic and corporate leader, Secretary Rice is well known as a passionate and knowledgeable football fan who has worked to make the sport stronger and better,” Walton said in a statement. “Her unique experience and extraordinary judgment will be a great benefit to our group and the Broncos organization.”
Rice has strong ties to the Denver community. She received her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of Denver.
The former provost at Stanford University, Rice served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush from 2005-09. She’s also been on the College Football Playoff selection committee and chaired a commission on college basketball.
The new ownership group is led by Walton and includes his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner.
Walton, 77, was chairman of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, from 1992-2015, when he retired. He is the eldest son of founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton and has an estimated net worth of nearly $60 billion.
