Another deceased NFL player had CTE at time of his death: report

Researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center confirmed Thursday that Frank Wycheck, the former Tennessee Titans tight end who keyed the team's 'Music City Miracle' game in 2000, had stage III CTE.

Wycheck died on Dec. 9, 2024 at age 52.

“If one thing could come of this diagnosis, I pray that families all over the world would consider my dad’s story as a cautionary tale regarding the long-term consequences of repetitive brain trauma in athletes and to carefully think about their careers in professional contact sports,” Wycheck's daughter, Madison Wycheck Nowell, said in an email statement reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“This is a disease that began affecting my dad very early in his life, and I believe played a significant part in taking him way too soon," her statement continued. "My hope is that with increased awareness, research, and advocacy for player safety, we can help fellow families of minor and professional athletes continue to thrive, not only during their careers, but after playing the sport they love so they can continue to share their legacies with generations to come.”

The revelation of CTE in Wycheck's brain makes him the rule, rather than the exception, among his peers. A 2017 study by Boston University studied the brains of 202 deceased football players; nearly all showed signs of CTE.

Wycheck played 11 NFL seasons for Washington and the Houston/Tennessee franchises. He made three Pro Bowls along the way, and is most famous for his role in a Jan. 2000 comeback victory in which the Titans beat the Buffalo Bills after a crazy last-second play.

The Bills had just kicked a field goal to take a 16-15 lead in their AFC wild card game in Nashville. Sixteen seconds remained. On the subsequent Buffalo kickoff, Titans running back Lorenzo Neal caught the ball and gave it to Wycheck, who threw an overhand lateral across the field to teammate Kevin Dyson at the 25-yard line.

Dyson ran 75 yards to give the Titans a 22-16 win, capping one of the most stories plays in NFL postseason history.

Wycheck retired in 2004.

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