Former State College and Penn State running back Larry Johnson says he cannot remember two full NFL seasons because he believes he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy — also known as CTE — a brain disease afflicting those who have had multiple head injuries.
CTE can be diagnosed only after death, but the former NFL star told the Washington Post that his mood swings, anxiety and self-destructive impulses are similar to the symptoms of CTE.
Because of his memory loss, Johnson said he is making a “time capsule” of his career for his 7-year-old daughter, Jaylen — just in case he can’t recall specifics of his life down the line.