Are Ex-NFL Players More Likely To Commit Suicide Than The General U.S. Population? CDC’s New Study Says No

The retired professional players of the National Football League (NFL) are not at a greater risk for suicide, the U.S. federal government has cleared. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that there is no indication that ex-NFL players are more likely to commit suicide than the general U.S. population.

The Notion That Ex-NFL Players Are More Likely To Commit Suicide

Reuters reports that CDC's new study, published this month in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, was conducted in response to the discussions that ex-NFL players may have acquired neurological problems due to concussions and repeated head trauma. These brain injuries may trigger retired professional football players to commit suicide.

There is also mounting evidence that supports the notion that ex-NFL players are more likely to kill themselves. Pro Football Hall of Fame member Junior Seau, along with other high-profile retired professional football players, committed suicide after suffering chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative brain disease caused by repetitive brain trauma.

CDC's New Study Found Ex-NFL Players Are Not At Greater Risk For Suicide

Despite mounting evidence, according to USA Today, CDC's new study found that ex-NFL players are not more likely to commit suicide than the general U.S. population. CDC's new study examined a group of 3,439 retired professional football players who were active for at least five seasons from 1959 to 1988 and gauged its suicide death rate.

Researchers from CDC found that there were 537 deaths among the ex-NFL players, a figure which was lower than the expected 901 deaths. "In studying this particular cohort of professional football players, our researchers did not find this to be the case," Dr. Douglas Trout, deputy director of CDC's Division of Surveillance, Hazard and Field Studies, stated in a press release.

CDC's new study, however, acknowledged that it has its limitations, including that it did not cover living or deceased ex-NFL players who suffered significant psychological impairments. The researchers also emphasized that the recent study does not put an end to the issue of whether suicide is more prevalent among retired professional football players.

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