Former NFL Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck Joins Boston University Study Aiming for Living CTE Diagnosis

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, now 50, spent two days at Boston University undergoing blood work, MRI, PET scans and cognitive tests as part of a multi-site research effort to identify biomarkers that could diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living individuals. Hasselbeck also pledged to donate his brain for post-mortem analysis.

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CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts, has been confirmed only after death and has been identified in more than 100 former NFL players, including Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez. Researchers note that many CTE symptoms overlap with Alzheimer’s disease, complicating diagnosis. The Boston University CTE Center, led by co-director Michael Alosco, is expanding the study to sites in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida, seeking both former football participants and non-contact-sport controls diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

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Michael Alosco explained that approaches successful for Alzheimer’s “do not work for CTE,” emphasizing the need for a protein-specific marker.

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• Roughly 10 participants have been scanned at the Arizona site.

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• The National Institutes of Health has allocated $15 million for the study, slated for 2025.

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• Hasselbeck reported three pre-college concussions and an uncertain number of additional head impacts during his 17-year NFL career (1998-2015).

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• “They need guys like me. They need people who are feeling good to step up to the plate and volunteer,” — Matt Hasselbeck, who served as an ESPN analyst from 2016 to 2023

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• “We've applied what we've known worked for Alzheimer's disease, but we've learned it does not work for CTE,” — Michael Alosco

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• “The more people involved, the more information we get and the closer we get to an answer," Ashton said.” — Photo Nicholas Ashton, the principal investigator in Phoenix

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• “Treatments exploded with Alzheimer's once we were able to accurately diagnose.” — Matt Hasselbeck, who served as an ESPN analyst from 2016 to 2023

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• “I've got a healthy respect for people who are dealing with serious brain trauma, whether it's tumors or cancer," Hasselbeck said.” — Matt Hasselbeck, who served as an ESPN analyst from 2016 to 2023

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• “I've always had a passion for making the game safer," said Hasselbeck, who served as an ESPN analyst from 2016 to 2023.” — Matt Hasselbeck, who served as an ESPN analyst from 2016 to 2023

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