Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck, who died in 2023, diagnosed with CTE

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy before his 2023 death, his family announced Thursday.

Wycheck died Dec. 9, 2023, after an apparent fall at his house. He was 52.

The family said Wycheck was positive for CTE Stage III. Stage IV is the most severe diagnosis of the degenerative brain disease, which is linked to repeated blows to the head.

Researchers at Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center worked with Wycheck's family, testing his brain for the disease that can lead to dementia, memory loss and depression.

"In honoring Frank Wycheck's legacy, his family hopes for an improved commitment to player safety and enhancing support for those who may be affected by the consequences of head injuries," his relatives' statement read.

"The Wycheck family hopes that Frank's friends, colleagues and teammates will remember the man he was, both on and off the field, prior to his retirement and the evident signs and symptoms of his CTE diagnosis."

One of his daughters, Deanna Wycheck Szabo, said in the statement, "He often felt forgotten and ignored, and that his situation was helpless.

"Reflecting back, I wish our family had been educated on the signs and symptoms of CTE. Instead of believing that something was inherently wrong with him, we now know he was doing the best he could as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control."

Wycheck was a sixth-round pick by the Washington Redskins in the 1993 NFL Draft. He signed with the Houston Oilers in 1995 and remained with the Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise through 2003.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection totaled 505 catches for 5,126 yards and 28 scores during his 11-year NFL tenure. He also scored a rushing touchdown. Wycheck totaled a career-high 768 yards in 1998 en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.