Playing in the NFL sure takes a toll on ones body, but how much damage does the physical brutality leave on the human brain?
One Boston University medical program intends to find out.
Three active NFL players — Matt Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa
Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks (and son of former Patriot Mosi Tatupu) and Sean Morey of the
Arizona Cardinals — are joining former
players in donating their brains after death to a BU program that studies sports brain injuries.
The players' brains and spinal cord tissue will go to the
Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy so researchers can better
understand the effects of concussions. More than 150 former athletes, including former Patriots linebacker and current NESN SportsDesk insider Ted Johnson, are in the program's brain donation registry.
