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Coroner: Kosta Karageorge did not have CTE
A pathologist who examined the brain of former Ohio State football player and wrestler Kosta Karageorge determined that he did not have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, better known as CTE.
CTE is a disease that is sometimes found in athletes with multiple head injuries. Though CTE was not found, the pathologist, Ohio State physician Dr. Norman Lehman, did find “evidence of prior concussive injury,” according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Karageorge died in November of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was found in a dumpster with a gun near his hand. The death was ruled a suicide in January.
Karageorge, who walked on to the OSU football team as a defensive lineman, had a history of concussions from his time with the Buckeyes’ wrestling team and his time on the scout team defense.
Michael Bennett, Karageorge’s teammate, said he and other teammates knew Karageorge “had a lot of concussions,” but “never knew he was depressed.”
Bennett also said that Karageorge “never reported” his concussions to medical staff.
"Kosta, I’ve said it before, I think he was the toughest guy I ever met,” Bennett said in December. “He must have been dealing with a lot of stuff internally. He was so appreciative of everything and so hard-working, when he got one (a concussion) during practice or something like that, he wouldn’t tell anybody. We would tell him to take it easy, if you want to sit out nobody is going to judge you, anything like that, because those are serious. But his mentality was always never quit, never back down from a challenge.”
Prior to his death, the 22-year-old Karageorge sent a text message to his mother.
“I am sorry if I am an embarrassment but these concussions have my head all f---ed up,” the text said.
The Ohio State football team honored Karageorge by wearing helmet stickers with his No. 53. Additionally, Bennett wore Karageorge’s number throughout the postseason.
For more Ohio State news, visit BuckeyeGrove.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
