His brain had been ravaged by football. Researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center have determined that the onetime NFL star and Northeast Philadelphia native, who died at age 52 in December 2023,

Frank Wycheck, the NFL tight end best known for throwing the lateral that started the “Music City Miracle” and launched the Tennessee Titans’ run to the franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance, had stage III chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died in December 2023 at his Chattanooga home.

On the 13-month anniversary of his passing, the family of Tennessee Titans legend Frank Wycheck announced that the tight end had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Stage III at the time of his death.