NFL: Former football star Johnson suspects CTE sanction

Former football star Larry Johnson believes he is suffering from the degenerative neurological disease CTE. That’s what the former running back of the Kansas City Chiefs of the Washington Post said. His restlessness, paranoia and self-destructive impulses are typical symptoms of CTE victims.

According to his own statements, the 38-year-old suffers from short, severe headache attacks, tremors, sudden mood swings, increased readiness to use violence and forgetfulness.

CTE is currently only detectable posthumously by a brain examination. It is believed that the disease is caused by repeated collisions with the head.

The two-time pro-bowler Johnson, who was drafted by Kansas in 2003, repeatedly came into conflict with the law at the end of his career. Johnson was arrested six times, five of them for violence against women.

In 2009 he was fired by the Chiefs, after which he played for the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins before his career ended in 2011.

Johnson, who created a “time capsule” of his career for his daughter Jaylen to preserve his legacy, has been struggling for some time with suicidal thoughts. Most recently, former football star Aaron Hernandez had taken his own life in his prison cell, and CTE was found after his death.

Johnson recognizes some similarities with the former tight end. With his public outreach, Johnson wants to persuade other former footballers to talk about their symptoms as well.