Ex-NFL player, pioneering broadcaster Irv Cross posthumously diagnosed with Stage 4 CTE

Boston University researchers said Tuesday that Irv Cross, a former NFL defensive back who became a pioneer as a sports broadcaster, most notably with CBS, suffered from Stage 4 chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

Cross died Feb. 28, 2021 at age 81 after being diagnosed with mild cognitive dementia in 2018. He played nine seasons in the NFL, including six with Philadelphia Eagles and  three with the Los Angeles Rams. Cross had 22 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries in his career.

After his playing career, Cross became the first Black man to work as a full-time sports analyst and was most known for his time on the NFL Today, CBS' pregame show.

"For the last five years of his life Irv stopped being able to do the things he loved and his problems with his balance, memory, and delusions, were very embarrassing and depressing for him," Irv’s wife, Liz said. "His life became a constant struggle, and he suspected it was from CTE. Now that we know for sure, Irv would want others to learn about the disease and the risks of playing tackle football, especially for children.”

The Cross family decided to donate his brain in hopes of raising awareness about taking repeated hits to the head.

Stage 4 CTE is the most severe and can only be diagnosed postmortem.

"We are honored by Irv Cross’s decision to donate his brain to our research, as we are by all our 1,330 donors and their families," said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. "Each donation brings us closer to understanding how to prevent, diagnose, and effectively treat CTE."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Irv Cross, ex-NFL player, posthumously diagnosed with Stage 4 CTE