Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Is CTE the exception or the norm?
A new study in The BMJ finds that at least 1 in 4 former NFL players who died over a recent six-year span had the disease, and researchers say the real number could be far higher because CTE can still only be confirmed after death.
Jason Whitlock argues the cases that make headlines are outliers. Most players stop after high school or college and no study has shown any significant number of non-pro players developing these problems.
Malcolm Gladwell argues that's exactly the trap: the evidence can't show up in the living, because the only way to find CTE in a brain is an autopsy.
Watch the full debate below.
Is CTE the exception or the norm?
A new study in The BMJ finds that at least 1 in 4 former NFL players who died over a recent six-year span had the disease, and researchers say the real number could be far higher because CTE can still only be confirmed after death.
Jason Whitlock argues the cases that make headlines are outliers. Most players stop after high school or college and no study has shown any significant number of non-pro players developing these problems.
Malcolm Gladwell argues that's exactly the trap: the evidence can't show up in the living, because the only way to find CTE in a brain is an autopsy.
Watch the full debate below.
