Sustaining a brain injury is a serious manner, regardless of how it is caused. While football fans in Chicago, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Foxborough get ready for today’s NFL conference championship games and a potential shot at the Super Bowl, the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of former All-Pro saftey Andre Waters demonstrate this point. A standout player during his 12-years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, Waters committed suicide last November at the age of 44. A University of Pittsburgh forensic pathologist determined on Thursday that the brain damage Waters suffered on the football field ultimately led to his suicide.  

More specifically, Bennet Omalu determined that Waters’ brain tissue displayed early characteristics of Alzheimer’s Disease and was similar to that of an 85-year-old man. Omalu said that he believed the brain injuries were related to multiple concussions that Waters suffered during his career. In the years prior to his death, Waters had shown signs of depression which Omalu also believed to be related to his brain trauma. Omalu indicated that Waters would have been fully incapacited within 10 years if he had not committed suicide. An NFL spokesman said that the league is continuing to devote resources for independent research further exploring concussions and player safety.