What is CTE? Ex-Broncos star Demaryius Thomas' death 'a wake-up call' for NFL players: Experts

What is CTE? Ex-Broncos star Demaryius Thomas' death 'a wake-up call' for NFL players: Experts
Demaryius Thomas (pictured) died of stage 2 (of 4) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), his family announced on Tuesday, July 5 (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The family of the former NFL wide receiver Demaryius Thomas announced on Tuesday, July 5, that Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed the former NFL wide receiver with stage 2 (of 4) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a form of brain degeneration that has been found in other athletes. Thomas, 33, was found dead in his Georgia home in December, 2021. The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office said a copy of his autopsy report was not ready for release.

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"Thomas's family released the findings of his brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF), which arranged the brain donation, to help raise awareness of CTE and encourage the football community to support research," Concussion Legacy Foundation said in a press release on Tuesday, July 5. Thomas' mother, Katina Smith revealed that she began to notice certain symptoms in Thomas. "Thomas suffered from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks and had trouble with his memory," the foundation said.