The late Frank Wycheck, remembered for the pass that started the iconic “Music City Miracle” game, suffered from an advanced stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers said.
Wycheck died in December 2023 after suffering a fall at his home in Tennessee. He had made it clear that he wanted to work with experts on CTE research and related brain injuries.
An examination of Wycheck’s brain by researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center confirmed that the former Tennessee Titans star tight end also suffered from the degenerative brain disease in the final years of his life.
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Frank Wycheck of the Tennessee Titans on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville, December 10, 2000. (Scott Halleran/Allsport)
Wycheck was diagnosed with CTE stage III. Stage IV is the most severe form of the disease and can lead to dementia, memory loss and depression. CTE can occur after repeated head injuries, such as concussions or blows to the head, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A 2017 study conducted by the Boston University CTE Center concluded that the brains of 99% of former NFL players had at least trace amounts of the neurodegenerative disease. Researchers examined the brains of 202 former soccer players.
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Wycheck, a three-time Pro Bowl tight end, played in the NFL from 1993 to 2003, starting with Washington and finishing his career with the Houston Oilers organization, which moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.
Wycheck’s family said in a statement that they are grateful for this diagnosis, which they believe further highlights the concerns surrounding CTE in contact sports like football. They want to honor his legacy with a stronger commitment to player safety and support for those affected by head injuries.
His daughters said their family had challenges understanding both the physical and mental changes Wycheck experienced and believed he was just missing the spotlight of his career.
Frank Wycheck celebrates the Tennessee Titans’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional playoff game in Nashville, January 11, 2003. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“We found our father becoming increasingly isolated and experiencing drastic mood swings. He became more impulsive and often inconsistent and unreliable,” Deanna Wycheck Szabo said in a statement. “In retrospect, I understand that he suffered from the symptoms of CTE due to the repeated trauma his brain and body endured over 11 seasons in the NFL.”
Former Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck runs onto the field prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at LP Field on September 22, 2013 in Nashville. (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Szabo said Wycheck loved football and his teammates. She said he struggled for years after retiring to bring attention to the symptoms and struggles he knew stemmed from CTE, and too often felt ignored and helpless. Szabo also said she wishes her family had been educated about CTE symptoms to know what to look for and now hopes for increased intervention, education and support for NFL alumni and their families.
“Instead of thinking there was something inherently wrong with him, we now know he was doing the best he could as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control,” Szabo said.
