Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.
@ChrisNowinski1 • 62,158 subscribers
Founding CEO @ConcussionCTEfn, neuroscientist, author, speaker, former @WWE Superstar. Fighting to End CTE & for concussion safety without compromise.
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When I initially posted on Anthony Stolarz I didn't know they initially left him in for more than two minutes until he started vomiting on the bench. We need to do better. PSA: If you vomit multiple times after a brain injury, get to the emergency room.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.4,693,926 просмотров • 1 год назад
Update: Anthony Stolarz likely suffered a first #comcussion 5 minutes into the game when he took a puck to face that knocked his mask off. 25 seconds after the hit he did a SHAAKE (Spontaneous Headshake after a Kinematic Event) which predicts concussion 72% of the time.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.4,151,644 просмотров • 1 год назад
Tua suffered a traumatic brain injury on this play, no question. His right arm shows the "fencing posture" indicating loss of consciousness & is on the severe end on the #concussion spectrum. He is done for the night and must miss the next game.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.5,922,801 просмотров • 2 лет назад
Our new study, published today in JAMA Network Open, estimates that 75% of NFL players who died between 2008 and 2023 had CTE. This is not a measure of all current or former players. It does not mean 75% of current players have CTE, and not everyone with CTE develops symptoms. The findings reinforce two priorities: supporting former players and families today, and reducing repetitive head impacts to protect future generations. CTE is serious, but this number should not mean hopelessness. Research is advancing, and we can improve care and make sports safer. Former players and families: you’re not alone. DM me to connect with support and explore research opportunities, if you’re interested.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.39,570 просмотров • 11 дней назад
“I knew the risks.” But did he? And, more importantly, do the 2 million kids playing tackle football today know what they’re truly signing up for? This week, we published new research estimating that 75% of NFL players who died over a 15-year period had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who played 14 seasons in the NFL, was asked about the study during a press conference. His response? “I knew what the risks were.” We hear this argument often when it comes to professional athletes. And perhaps some players today do understand the risks. But many athletes made decisions about their careers before the long-term consequences of repetitive head impacts were widely understood. And there's an even bigger question we can't ignore: What about the kids? The 2 million children playing tackle football aren't necessarily equipped to understand the potential long-term consequences of repetitive head impacts. Yet they're making decisions about a sport that could have lifelong implications. We have laws in place to protect children from other activities that carry significant risks, like smoking, drinking, and driving, so why not have meaningful protections in youth sports, too? How about a minimum age to get CTE? Should any child be allowed (encouraged) to take hundreds of head impacts a year? Or flag football under 14 the only sensible way to play? To learn more about our efforts, visit
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.21,724 просмотров • 7 дней назад
Prayers for Mike Evans after this #concussion & shoulder injury. Worth listening to the broadcasters strain to avoid suggesting a possible concussion. Gentlemen. hamstring & shoulder injuries don't make you lie COMPLETELY still like you are unconscious...
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.681,494 просмотров • 1 год назад
Repetitive head impacts can trigger chronic inflammation independent of CTE. This inflammation may contribute to depression and cognitive symptoms that could be treatable. A first-of-its-kind clinical trial with Emory University School of Medicine is investigating baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory drug. Men ages 30–65 with 11+ years of football experience may qualify in Atlanta. Learn more:
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.12,974 просмотров • 10 дней назад
‼️ Stop Hitting Kids in the Head ‼️ And no, I don’t mean stop kids from playing sports. I mean stop putting young athletes in situations where repeated hits to the head are treated as part of the game - and therefore are at risk of getting CTE. Sports give kids so much: teammates, confidence, discipline, fitness, competition, and joy. I want kids to have all of that. But we can give them those benefits without making head impacts part of the experience. Flag football instead of tackle football. Soccer without heading. Hockey without checking. These aren’t anti-sports choices. They’re ways to reduce exposure to repetitive head impacts while keeping kids in the game. Research continues to show that long-term exposure to repetitive head impacts cause CTE, reducing that exposure is a vital step in CTE prevention. So when I say Stop Hitting Kids in the Head, I’m not saying take sports away from kids. I’m saying change the rules so they can play without getting CTE.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.26,035 просмотров • 1 месяц назад
FIFA archaic #concussion policies on display here. No subs for a real concussion eval, so players get whatever the hell this is after being given minutes on the ground to let potential symptoms lessen. Also impressive how FIFA got Fox not to offer one replay of the head clash.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.56,710 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад
What happened to Old Dominion QB Quinn Henicle during Wednesday's bowl game is unacceptable. Henicle showed multiple unambiguous signs of concussion — yet he returned to play just MINUTES later. He appeared to be unconscious, but even if he wasn't, a five minute rushed sideline assessment cannot reliably rule out a concussion. Even though some college football players are now paid, they still deserve ethical medical care. Yet it doesn't seem like anyone cares in college football leadership. How do we fix this problem?
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.99,255 просмотров • 10 месяцев назад
Henry gets drilled in the head, then kicks Bryant on the way down. Both are slow to get up, a clear sign of #concussion. The only people who don't seem to notice? The broadcasters. NFL says you can't use the c-word until they tell you to. 🫡 So they pretend nothing is happening
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.71,719 просмотров • 9 месяцев назад
Today we announced, on behalf of the Kneeland family, that former Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland has been diagnosed with stage 1 CTE by our research collaborators at Boston University CTE Center. Kneeland died by suicide in November 2025 at 24 years old. Despite playing in the modern era of concussion protocols and better helmets, he still developed CTE. What that tells me is we have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE than previous generations. Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE, because CTE is caused by repeated head impacts, not just concussions. If we want to reduce CTE risk, we must implement CTE prevention protocols and aggressively reduce the number and strength of head impacts at every level of the game. Suicide is complex and multifactorial. A post-mortem CTE diagnosis should not be considered the cause of a suicide and is not known to be a risk factor for suicide. We encourage anyone worried about suspected CTE symptoms to reach out to he Concussion & CTE Foundation HelpLine team for support at If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.33,654 просмотров • 4 месяцев назад
I’m deeply saddened to share that my friend and former New Zealand Rugby Union player, Shane Christie, was diagnosed with stage 3 CTE by researchers at the University of Auckland. He was just 39 when he passed away last year. As a member of our Australian advisory board, Shane was a powerful advocate for greater support for players living with brain injuries.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.49,314 просмотров • 7 месяцев назад
NFL players have 42x the risk of dying from ALS before age 50, according to a new study from Concussion & CTE Foundation, Mass General Brigham, Harvard, and the Boston University CTE Center that I coauthored and was published last week in eClinicalMedicine, an open-access journal from The Lancet. There is clearly a connection between repetitive head impacts, CTE, and ALS, and it affects more than just NFL players. Former college players are likely at elevated risk too, which doesn’t surprise me as two former players from my college football team, Harvard – Michael Vollmer ’90 and Mike Ernst ’83 – have both developed ALS. With only 33 NFL players – from 30 teams – dying of ALS between 1960-2019, having two from only college football programs is extremely unlikely unless it’s linked to playing football. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive disease that destroys the nerve cells controlling muscle movement. While ALS is uncommon in the general population, researchers say these findings provide the strongest evidence yet that we need to explore head impacts in sports as a cause of ALS.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.28,741 просмотров • 3 месяцев назад
If you've watched football this season, you've probably seen the new State Farm ad with Giants RB Cam Skattebo. It shows him repeatedly smashing his head into things during his daily life off the field. This comes after his comment earlier this year that “CTE isn’t real; it’s an excuse.” For the families I speak with every day, CTE is no laughing matter. CTE is a real, progressive brain disease associated with repetitive head impacts. It can profoundly affect a person’s cognition, behavior, mood, and quality of life, and its consequences extend far beyond the individual diagnosed. For these families, there is nothing funny about the devastating toll of CTE.
Chris Nowinski, Ph.D.12,537 просмотров • 1 месяц назад