• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

November 25, 2015, Queens, NY  Recently deceased NFL Hall of Famer and longtime sports broadcaster Frank Gifford suffered from C.T.E. (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) which is a brain disease that has been found in many athletes who participated in contact sports where blows to the head are common.

According to ESPN, Gifford’s family had his brain examined after his death which occurred last August. ESPN reported, “Gifford’s family says they had his brain studied in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury.”

Gifford is one of the most iconic figures in New York sports history. After his playing days ended, he became a product pitchmen, and then eventually, a sports broadcaster. His most famous stint as a sports commentator was with the groundbreaking Monday Night Football (MNF). Gifford, along with Howard Cosell and Don Meredith, ushered in a style of broadcasting that fused sports with entertainment.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the NFL  who has been hit with a rash of scandals over the past few years. On Sunday, St. Louis Rams’ quarterback Case Keenum was allowed to remain in the game after receiving a severe blow to the head. The NFL conducted an investigation and held a conference call with all 32 head athletic trainers as well as with the league’s top medical directors and NFLPA representatives.

Will Smith Plays Dr. Bennet Omalu in Concussion
Will Smith Plays Dr. Bennet Omalu in Concussion

The Gifford announcement is coinciding with a revved up marketing campaign for the upcoming film Concussion featuring Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who discovered neurological deterioration caused by head trauma. Dr. Omalu eventually named the disease Chronic Traumatic Encepalopathy (C.T.E.). The film will open nationwide on Christmas Day.

Professor Clifford Benton can be reached at @cliffordbenton.

By Vernon McKenzie

Graduate of New Institute Of Technology with a BA in Communications with a focus on Television Radio. Owner and Executive Producer of PureSportsNY

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