Why Study Former College Football Players?

Compared with professional football, significantly more individuals have played football at the college level.

• In 2020, there were approximately 1,500 players on NFL team rosters. In contrast, the NCAA reported over 73,000 active college football players that year.

• Since 1960, more than 800,000 student-athletes have played football in American colleges, with more than 250,000 former college players currently over age 60.

From a public health perspective, it is imperative that the long-term brain health risks of playing football at the college level are clarified.