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Tracy Scroggins, Former Lions Pass Rusher, Dies at 56

His family blames long-term effects of CTE from his NFL career, though the disease can only be confirmed after death.

Overview

  • His death was confirmed by the Detroit Lions and his family, with no official cause disclosed; the family said funeral services are planned for Feb. 27 in Checotah, Oklahoma.
  • The family’s statement said he spent retirement battling CTE and linked his decline to repeated head trauma from football.
  • Reporters noted CTE is diagnosable only posthumously through a neuropathological exam, and it remains unknown whether his brain will be tested.
  • Scroggins played all 10 NFL seasons with Detroit (1992–2001), appearing in 142 games and recording 60.5 sacks, which rank among the franchise’s leaders.
  • He was among thousands of former players who pursued concussion-related claims against the NFL and filed an additional claim in 2016, when his attorney described symptoms consistent with CTE.