CDC Study of Retired NFL Players Fails to Find Evidence of Higher Suicide Rate

May 11, 2016   ·   Mike Chiari   ·   Jump to comments

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published in May's American Journal of Sports Medicine did not find that retired NFL players are more likely to commit suicide than the general population.  
According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, the study tracked 3,439 former players who competed in the league from 1959 through 1988. Twelve of them committed suicide as opposed to the expected number of 25 when taking into account a comparable cross-section of the population comprised of people who did not play football.
While an increased suicide rate among former NFL players has long been assumed due to the risk of concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) that comes along with playing the sport, the study concluded that more research is needed:
Clearly, our one study does not resolve the issue of suicide in football. Before reliable conclusions can be drawn on any relationship among football play, concussion, CTE, and suicide, mor...

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