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CONFIRMEDWednesday 26 August 2026

A study published in The BMJ found that 315 of 338 brains (93.2%) donated by former NFL players between 2008…

Checked against The BMJ.

As published

10 pages captured at the time, in each outlet's own typography. Open one to read the copy held outside the publisher's control.

aol.com as published: At Least 25 Percent Of Dead NFL Players Diagnosed With CTE In Sample, Study Saysaol.com2026-08-26 12:17:22bostonglobe.com as published: Patriots, NFL Players Association react to study showing 25 percent of ex-NFL players died with CTE: ‘A call to action’bostonglobe.com2026-08-26 12:17:22bu.edu as published: At Least 25 Percent of Former NFL Players Had CTE When They Died, New Study Suggestsbu.edu2026-08-26 12:17:22cbsnews.com as published: At least 1 in 4 ex-NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE, study findscbsnews.com2026-08-26 12:17:22football.realgm.com as published: Study Shows At Least 25 Percent Of NFL Players Who Died Had CTEfootball.realgm.com2026-08-26 12:17:22foxnews.com as published: New research finds 1 in 4 NFL players could develop CTE in their lifetime: 'Should be a call to action'foxnews.com2026-08-26 12:17:22nbcsports.com as published: New study finds at least 24.5 percent of NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTEnbcsports.com2026-08-26 12:17:22newstribune.com as published: Study: At least 25 percent of NFL players in sample had CTEnewstribune.com2026-08-26 12:17:22thehill.com as published: Study suggests at least 25 percent of NFL players get CTEthehill.com2026-08-26 12:17:22timesofindia.indiatimes.com as published: At least 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE at death, major study finds: What the new research meanstimesofindia.indiatimes.com2026-08-26 12:17:22

Attributed to no one

Quoted verbatim from each outlet's own page. This site records what was published and who it was attributed to. It does not assess whether the claim is true.

nbcsports.com

  • Current OSHA management said this, in a statement: "In most cases, OSHA does not take enforcement action with regard to professional athletes."

named elsewhere in the same article: Doug Parker; David Michaels

What this entry found

  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Percentage of donated brains diagnosed with CTE: 91.5 percent vs. 93 percent

    • newstribune.com (91.5%)
    • aol.com (93%)
  • OUTLETS DISAGREE

    Number of former NFL players analyzed: 878 vs. 1,712

    • aol.com, cbsnews.com, football.realgm.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com…
    • bu.edu (1,712 analyzed, 338 who donated brains)
  • ONLY ONE OUTLET HAD THIS

    nbcsports.com carried 8 details no other outlet reported.

    • NBC Sports article discusses potential NFL-New York Times business partnership and conflict of interest concerns
    • John Branch of the New York Times covered the study and raised question about OSHA involvement
    • Former OSHA chief Doug Parker said CTE situation would not be 'abided in any industry'
    • Former OSHA head David Michaels called the CTE rate 'astoundingly high'
    • Another former OSHA official called the CTE rate 'apocalyptically high' and said 'We never see things that are this dire'
    • Current OSHA management stated 'In most cases, OSHA does not take enforcement action with regard to professional athletes'
    • Of 878 deaths, 643 players' brains were not studied for CTE presence
    • Of 878 who died during period, at least 215 had CTE according to nbcsports calculation
10independent outlets
What happened, for context

A study published Tuesday in the British Medical Journal found that at least 25 percent of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts. The study examined 878 players who appeared in at least one NFL game during that period and found that 91 to 93 percent of the 235 brains that were donated and examined had CTE, though the overall prevalence could be as high as 97 percent when accounting for unexamined brains.

8 of 10 articles were readable. Headline only, no body text retrieved, for: foxnews.com, thehill.com. Nothing below is drawn from those outlets beyond their headline.

Who reported it

  • aol.comUNCLASSIFIED
  • bostonglobe.comUNCLASSIFIED
  • bu.eduUNCLASSIFIED
  • cbsnews.comINDEP
  • football.realgm.comUNCLASSIFIED
  • foxnews.comINDEP
  • nbcsports.comUNCLASSIFIED
  • newstribune.comUNCLASSIFIED
  • thehill.comINDEP
  • timesofindia.indiatimes.comUNCLASSIFIED

References

  • aol.comAt Least 25 Percent Of Dead NFL Players Diagnosed With CTE In Sample, Study SaysScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • bostonglobe.comPatriots, NFL Players Association react to study showing 25 percent of ex-NFL players died with CTE: ‘A call to action’Screenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • bu.eduAt Least 25 Percent of Former NFL Players Had CTE When They Died, New Study SuggestsScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • cbsnews.comAt least 1 in 4 ex-NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTE, study findsScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • football.realgm.comStudy Shows At Least 25 Percent Of NFL Players Who Died Had CTEScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • foxnews.comNew research finds 1 in 4 NFL players could develop CTE in their lifetime: 'Should be a call to action'Screenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • nbcsports.comNew study finds at least 24.5 percent of NFL players who died from 2016 to 2021 had CTEScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • newstribune.comStudy: At least 25 percent of NFL players in sample had CTEScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • thehill.comStudy suggests at least 25 percent of NFL players get CTEScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22
  • timesofindia.indiatimes.comAt least 1 in 4 former NFL players had CTE at death, major study finds: What the new research meansScreenshot as publishedOriginalcaptured 2026-08-26T12:17:22

Carried by multiple outlets

  • Study published Tuesday in the British Medical Journalaol.com, cbsnews.com, football.realgm.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • Study conducted by researchers at Boston University, Mass General Brigham, and the Concussion & CTE Foundationbostonglobe.com, bu.edu, cbsnews.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • At least 25 percent of former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTEaol.com, bostonglobe.com, bu.edu, cbsnews.com, football.realgm.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • Study examined 878 NFL players who appeared in at least one game and died during 2016-2021 periodaol.com, football.realgm.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • 235 players donated their brains for examinationbu.edu, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • 215 of the 235 donated brains were diagnosed with CTEnewstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
  • and 9 more, not shown

Reported by one outlet only

  • Sample was narrowed based on time frame for highest donations, demographic data, and death certificate informationonly aol.com
  • The true CTE rate 'is somewhere in the middle' between 25 and 97 percent, according to Daneshvaronly aol.com
  • Daneshvar called the findings a 'wake-up call'only bostonglobe.com
  • Based on study results, on a 53-person NFL team, at least 13 players could develop CTEonly bostonglobe.com
  • High school students in Massachusetts (17,000) began new season of football practices on Monday of article publicationonly bostonglobe.com
  • Researchers analyzed deaths of 1,712 former NFL players, including 338 who donated brainsonly bu.edu

Reported unevenly

  • Percentage of donated brains diagnosed with CTE: 91.5 percent vs. 93 percentstated by newstribune.com (91.5%), aol.com (93%) · absent from timesofindia.indiatimes.com (91%)
  • Number of former NFL players analyzed: 878 vs. 1,712stated by aol.com, cbsnews.com, football.realgm.com, newstribune.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com (878), bu.edu (1,712 analyzed, 338 who donated brains)

Not yet confirmed against a primary source

  • Confirm whether 235 or 338 player brains were examined in the study. Bu.edu states '338 who had donated their brains for evaluation or research' while other outlets state '235.' Verify against the published study or institutional statements from Boston University and Mass General Brigham.
  • Confirm the exact percentage of donated brains diagnosed with CTE: aol.com reports 93 percent, newstribune.com reports 91.5 percent, timesofindia.indiatimes.com reports 91 percent. Verify against the British Medical Journal publication.
  • Confirm whether the study examined 878 players (most outlets) or 1,712 players total (bu.edu). Bu.edu's framing suggests 878 is a subset. Verify the distinction against the published study methodology.

What was checked, and against what

1 of 1 confirmed against a primary source. Every document is linked so you can read the same record we did. Anything not confirmed is listed as such rather than left out.

  • checkedConfirm whether the study examined 878 players (most outlets) or 1,712 players total (bu.edu). Bu.edu's framing suggests 878 is a subset. Verify the distinction against the published study methodology.The BMJ · establishes the underlying fact · A study published in The BMJ found that 315 of 338 brains (93.2%) donated by former NFL players between 2008 and 2021 tested positive for CTE, with a 2016–2021 subset showing a 91.4% prevalence rate (215 of 235 brains). The research utilized a total cohort of 1,712 player deaths to calculate that at least 24.5% of the total, or roughly one in four, likely had the disease. · 2026-08-26