Overview
- Boston University researchers disclosed Tuesday through the Concussion & CTE Foundation that McMichael had Stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy after analysis of his donated brain.
- Lead neuropathologist Ann McKee said his brain also showed ALS‑related TDP‑43 protein in the brainstem and spinal cord.
- His widow, Misty McMichael, said she donated his brain to spur research into a CTE–ALS link and to raise awareness for players and families.
- CTE is a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head hits that can be confirmed only after death and is associated with mood, behavior, and thinking changes.
- Prior research led by Harvard Medical School and BU found NFL players are more than four times as likely to develop ALS, and McMichael died on April 23, 2025 at 67 after a nearly five‑year fight with the disease.