The family of Pro Football Hall of Famer and veteran sports broadcaster Frank Gifford have said signs of a degenerative disease were found in his brain after his death.
In a statement, the family said the versatile offensive and defensive star had "experienced firsthand" symptoms associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has been linked to repeated brain trauma.
Gifford was at the heart of the New York Giants offence which went to five NFL title games in the 1950s and 1960s and won the NFL's Most Valuable Player award in 1956 when he led the team to a league championship.
He died from natural causes at his home in Connecticut in August at the age of 84.
The statement said the family "made the difficult decision to have his brain studied in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury".
It added: "Our suspicions that he was suffering from the debilitating effects of head trauma were confirmed."
The family also said they found "comfort in knowing that by disclosing his condition we might contribute positively to the ongoing conversation that needs to be had; that he might be an inspiration for others suffering with this disease that needs to be addressed in the present; and that we might be a small part of the solution to an urgent problem concerning anyone involved with football, at any level".
CTE, which can only be diagnosed after death, has been found in the brains of dozens of former players.
It is associated with memory loss, impaired judgement, depression and eventually progressive dementia.
In November 1960, a crushing hit by Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik saw Gifford knocked unconscious, hospitalised for 10 days and sidelined until 1962.
In a statement, the New York Giants said: "We have great respect and sympathy for the Gifford family.
"We all miss Frank dearly. We support the family's decision to contribute to the discussion and research of an issue we take very seriously."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said: "We appreciate the Gifford family's desire to help the medical community understand more about CTE, and we are grateful for their support of the league's efforts to improve safety in our game.
"But we are not waiting until science provides all of the answers. We are working now to improve the safety of our game. The NFL has made numerous rules changes to the game, all to enhance player health and safety at all levels of football."
Gifford went on to forge a successful second career in broadcasting, including on ABC's Monday Night Football.
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