New York (AFP) - Health risks faced by National Football League players were back in the spotlight Wednesday after research revealed that former New York Giants safety Tyler Sash suffered brain damage before his death.
Sash, 27, died last September from an accidental overdose of pain medication he had been taking for a chronic shoulder injury.
The New York Times reported that researchers from Boston University discovered Sash suffered from a high level of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after the player's brain was donated for study by his family.
CTE is graded on a scale of 0 to 4 and Sash, who played only two seasons in the NFL -- winning a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2012 -- had progressed to Stage 2.