The family of late Tennessee Titans player Frank Wycheck announced that he had CTE after his death in 2023 at age 52.
Wychceck died after hitting his head after a fall at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in December 2023.
His two adult daughters have now announced that he suffered from a degenerative brain disease that can only be diagnosed after a person's death.
“After my father's retirement from professional football, our family faced challenges understanding the physical and mental changes he was experiencing,” Deanna Wycheck said in a statement.
'Initially we believed it was simply an inability to adapt to 'normal' life after the intensity of being a professional athlete. We witnessed our father becoming more isolated and experiencing drastic mood swings. He became more impulsive and often inconsistent and unreliable.
“At the time, I wrongly attributed his struggles to a lack of attention and camaraderie from his playing days.
Family of late Tennessee Titans player Frank Wycheck announced he had CTE
“But now, in retrospect, I understand that he was suffering from CTE symptoms due to the repeated trauma his brain and body endured over 11 seasons in the NFL.”
Wycheck, a tight end, retired from football in 2011 after 11 seasons in the NFL. He finished with 505 receptions, 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns in 155 games.
Following his playing career, Wycheck moved into the media, doing color commentary for Titans radio. He was best known for his role in 'Music City Miracle', a stage play from January 8, 2000, during the 1999-2000 NFL playoffs.
His daughter's statement continued: 'My father put his body at risk throughout his career. He loved the game and he loved his teammates even more.
'After retiring, he struggled for years to clarify his post-NFL journey and the fears he had surrounding his struggles and symptoms that he knew wholeheartedly were CTE. He often felt forgotten and ignored, and that his situation was hopeless.
'In retrospect, I wish our family had been informed about the signs and symptoms of CTE.
“Instead of believing that something was inherently wrong with him, we now know that he was doing the best he could as a father and friend in circumstances beyond his control.”
Wycheck's family hopes to raise awareness about the issue after going public with his condition.
“Our hope is that NFL alumni who believe they are suffering from CTE will receive much-needed resources and guidance before their symptoms reach a debilitating state,” they said.
“With the research and diagnosis of CTE ongoing,” we hope that future NFL alumni and families will explicitly receive an outline and action plan for receiving care and treatment. That's what our father would have wanted.
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