Latest news with #Belcher
USA Today
29-07-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Who has had CTE? Notable NFL players who suffered from disease
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, returned to the national limelight this week when a gunman who believed he had the degenerative brain disease killed four people in a Manhattan skyscraper. New York City mayor Eric Adams said that police suspect the shooter was targeting the NFL's Manhattan office located in the building but took the wrong elevator. CTE is linked to repeated head injuries like concussions, according to the Mayo Clinic, which has seen brains of nearly 350 former NFL players after their deaths. Boston University's CTE center diagnosed 345 cases of CTE in the 376 former NFL players' brains it's studied since 2008 – a rate of 91.7%. Of those 345 former players, there have been many notable playmakers who were diagnosed after their deaths, which is the only time CTE can be formally diagnosed. Here's what to know about CTE and its history with notable NFL players: What is CTE? CTE, which stands for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a degenerative brain disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is linked to repeated traumatic brain injury, such as concussions, and has been found in many former boxers, NFL players and military combat veterans after their deaths. CTE can only be diagnosed after death, with no specific symptoms tied to the disease present while a victim is alive. However, symptoms with possible ties to CTE include memory loss, impulsive behavior and depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, any symptoms that form as a result of CTE form over several years following multiple instances of traumatic brain injury. They will not necessarily be present immediately after a concussion or other similar injury. CTE, EXPLAINED: NYC gunman might have been targeting NFL over its handling of brain trauma Notable NFL players diagnosed with CTE Belcher played for the Chiefs for three full seasons and played in 11 more games for Kansas City in a fourth season before he killed his girlfriend, then himself, in December 2012. ESPN reported in 2014 that a medical examiner determined Belcher's brain had signs of CTE. Cross was a two-time Pro Bowler who played in the NFL for nine years. In his rookie season, Cross earned the nickname "Paper Head" for the sheer number of concussions he suffered in the 1961 season alone, according to a 2018 interview he had with the Philadelphia Inquirer. Cross went on to become the first Black sports analyst on national TV after his career. He was diagnosed with a form of dementia shortly before his death, which he believed could be attributed to CTE. He donated his brain to the Boston University CTE center, where it became one of the 345 from former NFL players diagnosed with the disease. Dobler played 10 years in the NFL and appeared in the Pro Bowl for three consecutive years from 1975 to 1977. After he died in February 2023, he donated his brain to Boston University, where he was posthumously diagnosed with CTE. Henry played for the Cincinnati Bengals for five years – between 2005 and 2009 – before his death in December 2009. The wideout fell out of the back of a moving truck during a domestic dispute and a hit to his head led to his death. Six months later, the Brain Injury Research Institute of West Virginia announced Henry had developed CTE prior to his death. Hernandez played three years for the Patriots starting in 2010. Four years after he was imprisoned for the murder of Odin Lloyd, Hernandez committed suicide in his cell. After his death, Boston University diagnosed the former tight end with CTE. A Hernandez family lawyer said while announcing his diagnosis that the case of CTE was "the most severe case they had ever seen in someone of Aaron's age." A former second-round pick by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2005, Jackson played 12 years in the NFL and made three Pro Bowls by the time he retired in 2016. He died in 2021, aged 38, from chronic alcohol use, according to a medical examiner and was diagnosed with CTE by Boston University's CTE Center. Long played his entire eight-year career for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2005, 14 years after his final season, he committed suicide by drinking an entire gallon of antifreeze shortly after an indictment for arson and fraud charges. His autopsy, performed by neuropathologist and CTE discoverer Bennet Omalu, revealed that he had the degenerative brain disease. The gunman in Monday night's mass shooting in Manhattan named Long by name in a rambling note found in his pocket. Seau's career spanned nearly three decades – from 1990 to 2009 – and was marked by numerous accolades, including first-team All-Pro recognition six times, 12 consecutive Pro Bowl seasons and a Walter Payton Man of the Year award. His 20-year career included two Super Bowl appearances: one with the Chargers in Super Bowl 29 and another with the Patriots in Super Bowl 42. Seau committed suicide in 2012, and his family donated his brain tissue to the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A year later, they revealed the NIH had found signs of CTE. The linebacker was posthumously enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. By the end of Thomas's nine years with the Denver Broncos, he had risen to second in all-time receiving yards in the team's history. He won a Super Bowl with Denver after the 2015 season and played four more years that included brief tenures with the Houston Texans and New York Jets. He died in December 2021 from what police called a "medical issue" that stemmed from a 2019 car crash. His brain tested positive for signs of CTE after its donation to Boston University. Wycheck was an 11-year NFL veteran who earned three Pro Bowl nods during his career and is a member of the Titans/Oilers Ring of Honor. He was the Titans' leading receiver for three years (1999-2001) and was the player who threw the famous lateral pass in the "Music City Miracle" play that led Tennessee to a playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. Wycheck died in 2023 after falling and hitting his head. In January 2025, ESPN reported that his family confirmed Wycheck had been diagnosed with CTE after his death.
Wales Online
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales' next debutant was looking for other jobs two years ago
Wales' next debutant was looking for other jobs two years ago Wales' next debutant has had a remarkable journey to earning his first cap Liam Belcher walks out to Wales training in Kitakyushu (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency ) "When I congratulated him, he said 'I owe you a pint'," says Matt Sherratt as he talks about Liam Belcher's potential first cap on Saturday. "I said I'll remember that after this tour." I ask if the offer of a round is something of a rarity from the Cardiff skipper. "It is off him," jokes the interim Wales coach. The pair, as you'd expect for club coach and captain, share a strong bond. They are both affable personalities, who find time for a laugh amongst the serious stuff. It's rare you see Belcher without a smile on his face, while Sherratt noticeably lifted the mood in the Six Nations. There are, seemingly, other similarities. In a video by the WRU earlier in the week, back-row Alex Mann asked Belcher who was taller out of the hooker and Sherratt. A definitive answer wasn't exactly offered. But jokes aside, there's no doubt in Sherratt's mind over just how much Belcher deserves to get on the pitch against Japan in Kitakyushu this weekend. "Genuinely, from my angle, there's not a player in Welsh rugby who deserves his chance more than Liam," adds Sherratt. "When he's been captaining his region, these last two or three years, he's been really consistent. Article continues below "He's just been missing out. I think he got injured during the last squad announcement when there were some injuries and he maybe had a chance to get in. "I haven't asked him this because I haven't spoken to him a huge amount about it, but I'm sure he thought his chance maybe had gone." Only Belcher will know for sure whether he thought a Wales cap had passed him by. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. The twists and turns of a professional career in rugby haven't always been kind to the 29-year-old, conspiring to edge him out of the game, but he's persevered. And yet, despite all the hard work, the Cardiff captain might have been forgiven for thinking that being a club favourite - as he undeniably is at the Arms Park - would be as high as he would scale. When Sherratt named the squad for the summer, Belcher wasn't frantically glued to his phone in expectation. Instead, he was asleep in bed - feeling under the weather after ending the season with two weeks in South Africa. "He was in South Africa when we did selection," says Sherratt. "We Zoomed on selection literally a couple of days before our last game, when all the teams were in South Africa. "Liam actually pulled his calf and missed the Bulls game. But we knew it was a one or two-week injury. It was announced when we got back. "He had a bit of lurgy from South Africa so when he woke up, he found out the news." Upon finding out he was on the bench, Belcher was wide awake this time. There was a bit of a smile, but, as Sherratt notes, he's a "pretty laidback character". That said, he's given everything to get to this point. "The reaction from everyone, from all the Cardiff players - past and present - has been massive, just because they know the work he puts in," says Sherratt. "Genuinely with Liam, I go into work at 7ish every day at Cardiff and he's throwing against the posts. "He weighs his own food, he cooks his own food, he does everything he can do to maximise his ability. He's been on a little bit of a journey with his career, with being released (to the Dragons in 2016). "He maybe thought his career was coming to an end and planned another career route. I think he was going to be a groundsman at one stage, and an electrician." Having already overcome one departure from Cardiff, another looked on the cards in 2023 when the Arms Park side didn't have enough money to offer contracts to key players. A dozen, including Belcher, were offered terms far lower than they were on. Yet, come the start of the next pre-season, Belcher was still one of eight or so putting in the hard yards on the training pitch. "He's come back to Cardiff and worked for the captaincy," adds Sherratt. "So for him to get in the squad and have a chance of winning his first cap is fantastic. I know his family and everyone close to him is really proud. He deserves it massively. "The reaction from the squad, the lads from Cardiff and people he's played with in the past has been phenomenal." In Sherratt's eyes, Belcher represents a true club man. After what has been a few testing years for Welsh rugby, you wouldn't be surprised to find that Belcher has been putting his electrician training to good use on the lights at the Arms Park. "The low lighting," Sherratt quickly adds, going back to the hooker's height. Article continues below Come Saturday, if and when he gets on, it will be the opposite. For the man who might have felt a Wales cap had passed him by, this will be a highlight.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man gets life sentence for murder at Eastbank Esplanade drum circle in 2022
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man was sentenced to life in prison with a possibility for parole after 25 years for a shooting death that occurred during a drum circle event three years ago. Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was . His sentencing took place Monday afternoon. On , multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw the victim fall to the ground at the East Park Esplanade parking lot while people were leaving a drum circle event. Family members told KOIN 6 News the victim, Ash Smith, was a in recent years. Police said Belcher and Smith . After the shooting, Portland police found Belcher nearby, as he was described by witnesses. A search found a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered to his waistband. In May 2022, Belcher originally pleaded not guilty to the charges. Then in August of that same year, a j and ordered that he be committed to the Oregon Hospital. In 2024, after a psychological evaluation report was created by the Oregon State Hospital, a hearing was held as to whether Belcher was fit to proceed in a trial, and a judge ruled that he was. The Multnomah County jury deliberated for one hour before convicting Belcher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man gets life sentence for murder at Eastbank Esplanade drum circle in 2022
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man was sentenced to life in prison with a possibility for parole after 25 years for a shooting death that occurred during a drum circle event three years ago. Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was . His sentencing took place Monday afternoon. On , multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw the victim fall to the ground at the East Park Esplanade parking lot while people were leaving a drum circle event. Family members told KOIN 6 News the victim, Ash Smith, was a in recent years. Police said Belcher and Smith . After the shooting, Portland police found Belcher nearby, as he was described by witnesses. A search found a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered to his waistband. In May 2022, Belcher originally pleaded not guilty to the charges. Then in August of that same year, a j and ordered that he be committed to the Oregon Hospital. In 2024, after a psychological evaluation report was created by the Oregon State Hospital, a hearing was held as to whether Belcher was fit to proceed in a trial, and a judge ruled that he was. The Multnomah County jury deliberated for one hour before convicting Belcher. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
09-06-2025
- Miami Herald
‘Senseless ambush' kills mom of 5 at drum circle, OR reports say. Man convicted
A man has been convicted in a 'senseless ambush' that killed a woman at a drum circle event in Oregon, officials said. Wyatt Storm Belcher, 28, was found guilty of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon in Ash Smith's death following a jury trial, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said in a June 6 news release. McClatchy News reached out to Belcher's attorney June 9 and was awaiting a response. The shooting happened May 8, 2022, near the Willamette River in Portland, prosecutors said. The drum circle gathering began to break up, and 'multiple witnesses heard a loud bang and saw Ash Smith fall to the ground,' according to prosecutors. Multiple witnesses gave statements to police, prosecutors said, 'including descriptions of the person who shot Ms. Smith.' Belcher matched the descriptions and was found nearby, according to prosecutors, who said he had 'a .40 caliber Glock 23 holstered in his waistband.' Belcher and Smith were strangers to one another, KOIN reported, citing police. Smith, 31, was described in an online obituary as 'loving, energetic, and a true warrior.' The mom of five 'continuously fought for her place in this world, despite being given a bad hand time and time again' and she 'had an infectious laugh and was always a source of positivity, seeing the good in anybody,' the obituary said. In the news release, Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin said, 'Ash Smith was truly an innocent victim. While she didn't deserve Wyatt Belcher's senseless ambush, she did deserve the compassion that the witnesses on scene showed her during her final moment. Three of those individuals had the strength to testify during this trial despite being deeply and personally affected by what they witnessed.' A sentencing hearing is scheduled June 9, according to online court records.
