BOSTON — Former Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, the late NFL and Super Bowl MVP who is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had the brain disease CTE, Boston University researchers said Wednesday.
Stabler, who died of colon cancer at 69 in July, had Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Dr. Ann McKee told the Associated Press. McKee said the disease was widespread throughout his brain, with "quite severe" damage to the regions involving learning, memory and regulation of emotion.
"We've now found CTE in former NFL players who played every position except kicker," said McKee, a professor of neurology at Boston University.