“I Think My Girlfriend Has Got CTE”: Antonio Brown Reflects on Past Traumas in His Life

Antonio Brown has become a prominent figure on social media, known for his bold personality and wild antics. However, many fans speculate that behind the laughter and flamboyance, he may be masking signs of CTE.

Unsurprisingly, during his appearance on Caresha Please, the host wasted no time addressing the topic, making his potential CTE the very first question.

AB handled the question tactfully, declining that he has CTE and, stating that everyone has deep baggage and mental trauma they carry with them and it defines them and can even shape their lives.  He ended his answer with a joke that his girlfriend probably suffers from CTE:

“I think we all got traumas that we go through. I feel like being from Miami, I just grew up dealing with lot of trauma. So dealing with lot of confusion is pretty much normal to me. But I think my girlfriend got CTE.”

When Brown mentioned that his girlfriend suffers from CTE, Caresha playfully remarked that dealing with him might be the cause of her brain trauma. The four-time All-Pro laughed and agreed with her lighthearted insinuation.

AB might be dealing with a serious illness with laughter and a nonchalant attitude but CTE is a serious matter that has plagued generations of athletes, particularly NFL players.

It’s hard to diagnose a degenerative brain disease like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE. However, as per NPR, a recent survey reported that one-third of former professional football players have the disease. The major causes are concussions and repeated blows to the head.

Per the survey, of nearly 2000 participants, almost 700 of them thought of suicide, and many others were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia. It’s hard to pinpoint symptoms, but some of them include depression, signs of cognitive impairment, and suicidal thoughts. Towards the end, players suffer from memory loss and mood swings.

The NFL has stepped up its efforts by tightening its concussion protocols,  advising players to wear guardian caps, limiting hits in practices, and banning helmet-to-helmet tackles. That’s why there were calls from everywhere for Tua to retire early following the third concussion of his NFL career.