📰🏟️ B1G bans ex-NFLers
Plus: 1 in 4 football players had CTE in study…
Good afternoon. Welcome back to another week full of top sports stories. Let’s get right to it.
—Kyle
1) Study: At least 25% of NFL players in sample had CTE
At least 1 in 4 NFL players who died between 2016-2021 had CTE, according to a new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion + CTE Foundation.
- Of the 878 players who died during that period, 235 donated their brains for research, with 215 found to have CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head impacts that can only be diagnosed after death.
- Researchers say the 25% estimate represents the low end of CTE’s likely prevalence among NFL players.
- They also note that the bulk of the head impacts received by NFL players occur prior to the pros, and recommend sport-wide changes to reduce the amount of contact in youth/college sports.
2) Big Ten to approve rule banning NFL players, per reports
The Big Ten is reportedly set to pass a rule today barring former pros from playing football in the conference, amid growing controversy over players cut by NFL teams jumping back to the NCAA.
- The rule would ban any player who either declared for the NFL Draft without withdrawing, appeared on an NFL roster, or signed with a pro league.
- The SEC, ACC, and Big 12 are all reportedly considering a similar rule.
- The moves come after several CFB players who signed with NFL teams this offseason regained their college eligibility via a recent court ruling.
Big Ten says “no” to ex-NFL players
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3) Angel Reese sets WNBA rebound records
F Angel Reese grabbed a WNBA-record 26 rebounds in the Atlanta Dream’s 78-71 win over the LA Sparks last night, breaking the single-game mark of 24 set by Chamique Holdsclaw in 2003.
- She also broke A’ja Wilson’s single-season rebounding record—458 and counting with 6 games left—and earned her league-leading 27th double-double this year.
- Reese has led the WNBA in REB/game in each of her first 3 seasons, which represent the 3 highest rebounding averages in league history.
Angel rises above on the glass
4) Cal Raleigh breaks slump with career-high 3 HR game
Mariners C Cal “Big Dumper” Raleigh hit 3 HRs in a game for the first time last night, powering Seattle to a 9-2 win that snapped the Philadelphia Phillies’ 9-game winning streak.
- Raleigh, who entered the night batting .159 with 14 HRs, is the 2nd catcher in Mariners history with a 3-HR game
- It was also Raleigh’s first multi-HR game of 2026, after he led MLB with 60 HRs and finished 2nd in AL MVP voting last season.
Big Slumper starts to turn it around
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