Uploaded December 2020 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago

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Greg Lens was an All-Conference defensive tackle at Trinity College before starting for the Atlanta Falcons in 1970 and 1971. In the last decade of his life Lens struggled with memory and behavioral issues. He died in 2009 and his brain was studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where he was diagnosed with Stage 4 (of 4) CTE. His widow Carolyn Lens and daughter Sarah Naylor remember his nature as a gentle giant, and detail the ways CTE changed him and devastated their family.

If you have a loved one suffering from the symptoms of suspected CTE, reach out to the CLF Helpline at ConcussionFoundation.org/Helpline.


To learn more about CTE, visit the following resources:

Sign up for the CTE Resources Newsletter – bit.ly/2xrk886

Join the CTE Resources Facebook Group – bit.ly/2VqzPVV

What is CTE? https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

Living with CTE – https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

The Science of CTE – https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

Subconcussive Impacts – https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

Hope with CTE – https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-...

Brain Bank – https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...

Brain Donation Registry – https://concussionfoundation.org/CTE-...