WASHINGTON — The family of Frank Gifford said on Wednesday the late NFL Hall of Famer suffered from the degenerative brain disease CTE and that his brain had been donated to help researchers explore the link between football and traumatic head injuries.
Gifford, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection for the New York Giants, died of natural causes in August at the age of 84.
Gifford's' survivors, including his wife, "Today" show host Kathie Lee Gifford, said in a statement released by NBC that pathologists confirmed their suspicions that he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.