Former NFL player Bubba Smith had brain disease CTE when he died

Bubba Smith, a Pro Bowl defensive end who transitioned to acting after his NFL career, suffered with the debilitating brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he died, researchers announced on Tuesday.

A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Smith played at Michigan State before being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1967 NFL drafted by the Baltimore Colts. He spent six seasons in Baltimore, playing in Super Bowl III, in which the Colts lost to the New York Jets, and also in Baltimore's defeat of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V.

He would also play for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers until his retirement after the 1976 season. Smith the began his acting career, appearing in several popular Miller Lite commercials before his biggest role as Moses Hightower in six Police Academy movies.

Researchers at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank said Smith had Stage 3 CTE (Stage 4 is the most advanced) at the time of his death at age 66 in 2011. Smith was the 90th former NFL player out of the 94 brains studied where CTE was detected.

“Prior to his death, Smith was reported to have developed significant cognitive decline, including memory impairment and poor judgment,” researchers said in a news release. “He was also unable to complete many tasks of daily living on his own, such as paying bills, shopping, or traveling.”

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The VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank is collaboration between three entities: the Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston University, and the Concussion Legacy Foundation.