Kevin Turner, lead NFL concussion suit plaintiff, had CTE

FILE - In this April 9, 2013 file photo, former NFL player Kevin Turner, left, speaks beside former player Dorsey Levens during a news conference in Philadelphia. Researchers in Boston announced Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, that Turner, who died in March from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 46, had the most advanced stage of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) with motor neuron disease. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

By Associated Press November 3, 2016 1 min read

BOSTON (AP) – Researchers say they have found a traumatic brain disease in former Eagles and Patriots fullback Kevin Turner, who was the lead plaintiff in a concussion lawsuit against the NFL.

Announcing the results of their study at a conference at Boston University on Thursday, the doctors say Turner developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (ehn-sehf-uh-LAH’-puh-thee) over 25 years, playing from youth football up through the NFL.

Turner died in March at the age of 46 of complications from Lou Gehrig’s disease, which is also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Researchers at BU and the Veterans Administration studied his brain and found the most advanced stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy with motor neuron disease.

CTE has been linked to repeated brain trauma and to Lou Gehrig’s disease. Dr. Ann McKee says this is the strongest possible case showing a link between CTE and ALS.

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