Syracuse Football: Chris Gedney suffered from Stage 2 CTE

Unbelievably sad news to share, as former Syracuse football tight end Chris Gedney suffered from Stage 2 CTE at the time of his death.

Chris Gedney, a Liverpool, N.Y., native and former Syracuse football player who tragically took his own life in March of 2018 at the age of 47, suffered from Stage 2 CTE at the time of his passing, per a report on Monday by NewsChannel 9 Sports Director Steve Infanti.

This is heart-breaking, to say the least. Gedney suited up for the Orange for five stanzas, which included a redshirt freshman campaign. He helped lead the program to a terrific 35-12-2 record and four bowl triumphs between 1989 and 1992, according to this cuse.com statement.

Gedney became a unanimous All-American during his senior term, when he accumulated 587 yards and five touchdowns, while SU achieved a 10-2 mark and finished No. 6 in the final Associated Press top-25 poll.

Gedney then went on to compete for the NFL’s Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals for a combined seven seasons. He later returned to the Hill, getting appointed as a senior associate athletics director at the university.

Infanti’s piece, citing Gedney’s widow, Seely Gedney, says an autopsy of Chris Gedney was conducted at Boston University, and the Concussion Legacy Foundation found that, when he died, Gedney was suffering from Stage 2 CTE.

"On the foundation’s Web site, CTE, formally known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, is described as a “degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.”A Boston Globe article from September of 2017 notes that in Stage 2, “those with CTE find themselves suffering from depression or mood swings, explosivity, and short term memory loss, in addition to Stage I symptoms. Although less common, other Stage II signs include: executive dysfunction, language difficulties, impulsivity, and the potential for suicide.”A Syracuse.com story published on May 21, 2018, reported that HBO Correspondent and ‘Cuse alum Jon Frankel, who forged a friendship with Gedney over the past few years, said “Gedney committed suicide after recognizing something was wrong with his brain, leading to depression and other behavior issues.”"

Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist in neuro-degenerative disease at Boston University, performed the autopsy on Gedney, which showed that he had Stage 2 CTE, according to Infanti. The disease has four stages.

"Infanti also received this statement from Seely Gedney: “He is loved and missed by all that knew him. His legacy of kindness, compassion and courage will live on. His children and I appreciate the incredible outpouring of love and support that we have experienced over the last 15 months.”"

There’s nothing I can write that accurately reflects the pain that Chris Gedney, Seely Gedney, their four children, and the entire Gedney family has gone through, or will continue to endure. CTE is a serious condition faced by NFL players and other athletes. My only hope is that everyone in Orange Nation, for eternity, has Chris Gedney and his loved ones in their collective hearts. I know that I will.