Ex-NHL player Bobby Hull (pictured here in 1957, his first season with the Chicago Blackhawks) was renowned for his speed on the ice. But in later life, he had many symptoms of CTE, and, after his death, his brain was donated to the BU CTE Center for research—and a diagnosis. Photo via AP/Edward Kitch

CTE

BU Researchers Confirm Former NHL Legend Bobby Hull Had CTE

CTE Center encourages former players and families to reach out with CTE concerns, saying “we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life”

During his 23-year Hall of Fame hockey career, Bobby Hull’s pace on the ice and lightning quick shooting speed earned him the nickname “the Golden Jet.” But in later life, the Stanley Cup winner was dogged by memory loss and impaired judgment, both symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). His family has now confirmed that Boston University CTE Center researchers have found that Hull, who died in 2023 at age 84, had the neurodegenerative disease.

CTE is caused by repeated hits to the head and can, for now, only be diagnosed after death. While much research so far has been on football players—who suffer frequent, low-level blows to the head, along with occasional concussion-level strikes—there has been increasing effort to expand research into other contact sports like hockey and soccer.

“We are grateful to Bobby Hull and all of the NHL players and families who are helping us learn how to prevent, diagnose, and treat CTE,” said Ann McKee, director of the CTE Center, in a press release from the Concussion Legacy Foundation. The foundation is affiliated with the CTE Center and released Hull’s diagnosis in collaboration with his family. “We encourage retired players and their families to reach out for help and care if they are concerned about CTE, as we are learning how to effectively treat symptoms, especially in mid-life.”

A progressive brain disease, CTE has been tied to a host of symptoms, including memory loss, poor impulse control, aggression, and confusion. With more than 100 published studies on traumatic brain injury, the CTE Center is a world leader in diagnosing and studying the disease. Recent findings include an analysis of the role of the cumulative force of hits to the head in predicting CTE, how football knocks lead to a loss of white matter in the brain, and the connection between head impacts and Parkinson’s-like symptoms.

Hull, who NPR called “the highest-profile former NHL player to be diagnosed with CTE,” made his name with the Chicago Blackhawks, playing 15 seasons in the NHL. His decision to donate his brain after death to the CTE Center was inspired, in part, by the story of former fellow Blackhawk Stan Mikita. His teammate died in 2018 and was also diagnosed with CTE by McKee, a Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor, and her BU colleagues.

“Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita’s family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE,” said Deborah Hull, Bobby’s wife of 39 years, in the press release. “He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.”

In a 2024 paper, BU researchers found 18 of 19 former NHL players whose brains were studied had CTE. They also discovered the chances of CTE went up 34 percent for each year on the ice. According to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, experts believe CTE is not diagnosed as frequently in amateur ice hockey players because they “tend to have shorter careers and therefore fewer head impacts.”

CTE Also Diagnosed in Conrad Dobler, “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player”

Hull’s diagnosis was announced just two weeks after the family of former pro football star Conrad Dobler confirmed he also had CTE. Sports Illustrated once called the three-time NFL Pro Bowl guard “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player.” Dobler died in 2023 aged 72.

“My dad loved the game of football, but his love for the game took a toll on his body, his mind, and his relationships,” said Erin Lewin, Dobler’s daughter, in a separate Concussion Legacy Foundation press release. “His CTE diagnosis provides a sense of closure in terms of justifying his neurological and behavioral issues that took a toll not only on him but on all of us who loved and cared for him. We are relieved to have a definitive answer and proud to honor his wish to go public with the findings to raise awareness for the risks of repetitive head trauma and for the research being done at Boston University.”

In 2023, BU researchers said they had found CTE in 92 percent of former NFL players studied.

“The support we have received from Conrad Dobler and the hundreds of former NFL players and their families who have participated in our research has put us on the cusp of diagnosing CTE in living people,” said McKee in the release. “With continued support from the NFL player community, we will eventually be able to prevent future families from suffering the indignities and pain of CTE.”

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