Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams players contest a NFL Wildcard game, at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Jan. 10, 2026. At least one in four of all the people who have played in the NFL might expect to end up with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to a study of hundreds of cases over a recent six-year period. Researchers say the actual prevalence may be much higher. (Zack Wittman/The New York Times) By JOHN BRANCH Since the degenerative brain disease known as CTE…
