Bobby Hull, the former Chicago Blackhawks star, was presented to fans at the NHL hockey team’s convention in Chicago on July 26, 2019. His family disclosed that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when he passed away in 2023.
Amr Alfiky/AP
hide caption

toggle caption

Amr Alfiky/AP

The Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Hull was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death in 2023, as confirmed by his family.

Bobby Hull, who won the Stanley Cup and earned the title of two-time NHL MVP, was colloquially known as “The Golden Jet” due to his remarkable skills, physical play, and goal-scoring capabilities. He enjoyed a career that lasted more than two decades, primarily during the 1960s and 70s with the Chicago Blackhawks.

On Wednesday, Hull’s wife disclosed the findings of his posthumous brain examination through the Concussion Legacy Foundation. The foundation emphasized the need to raise awareness about the lasting impact of repeated head trauma in hockey and promote further research. Following his death in 2023 at the age of 84, Hull’s family arranged for his brain to be donated to the Boston University CTE Center.

Deborah Hull shared that her husband felt a strong sense of responsibility to assist in advancing research on CTE, believing no family should suffer from this condition. He understood that his legendary career in the Hall of Fame came with particular challenges, having faced numerous cognitive symptoms associated with CTE such as memory issues and impaired judgment during the last decade of his life.

CTE can only be identified through an autopsy, making it a post-mortem diagnosis.

Bobby Hull skates down the ice with the puck during a game against the Boston Bruins on January 7, 1968. Hull is celebrated as one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players. His wife asserts that the multiple collisions he faced throughout his illustrious career contributed to his CTE diagnosis after his passing.
Associated Press File Photo/AP
hide caption

toggle caption

Associated Press File Photo/AP

As reported by NPR in 2024, the connection between American football and CTE has garnered considerable attention, but research into other contact sports, particularly ice hockey, was previously lacking. This trend shifted in December when researchers at Boston University released a major study that established a link between the risk of developing CTE and the duration of a hockey player’s career (with Hull’s brain included in the study). The findings revealed that the longer an athlete played, the higher the risk for CTE.

Hull stands as one of the most prominent former NHL players diagnosed with CTE.

NPR’s Becky Sullivan contributed reporting.