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sports Diaranson 15 December 2021

Autopsy: Severe brain trauma in ex-NFL player who shot 6

(AP) — An autopsy re- But Adams’ CTE diagnosis
vealed unusually severe was different from the other
brain disease in the fron- young players because it was
tal lobe of the former NFL “unusually severe” in both
player accused of fatally frontal lobes, she said.
shooting six people in
Rock Hill, South Caro- McKee compared Adams’
lina before killing himself brain to that of Aaron Her-
in April, authorities an- nandez, the former football
nounced Tuesday. star also posthumously di-
agnosed with CTE after he
The 20 years Phillip Adams hanged himself in prison at
spent playing football “defi- the age of 27 while serving a
nitely ... gave rise” to a diag- life sentence for a 2013 mur-
nosis of stage 2 chronic trau- der.
matic encephalopathy, said
Dr. Ann McKee, who exam- The Lesslie family said they
ined his brain. appreciated the diagnosis.
“Even in the midst of crush-
Authorities have said that on ing heartbreak, we are find-
April 7, Phillip Adams killed ing some comfort in the
Rock Hill physician Robert CTE results and the explana-
Lesslie; his wife, Barbara; tion they provide for the ir-
two of their grandchildren, rational behaviors pertaining
9-year-old Adah Lesslie and to this tragedy,” their family
5-year-old Noah Lesslie; statement said.
and two HVAC technicians
working at the Lesslie home, The Adams family said they
James Lewis and Robert were not surprised that he
Shook, both 38. Police later had the disease, but were
found Adams with a self-in- shocked to learn how severe
flicted gunshot wound to the his condition was.
head.
“After going through medi-
The degenerative disease cal records from his football
known as CTE is linked to career, we do know that he
head trauma and concussions was desperately seeking help
that has been shown to cause from the NFL but was de-
a range of symptoms, includ- nied all claims due to his in-
ing violent mood swings and ability to remember things
memory loss. and to handle seemingly
simple tasks, such as travel-
“There were inklings that he ing hours away to see doctors
was developing clear behav- and going through extensive
ioral and cognitive issues,” evaluations,” their statement
McKee said. “I don’t think said.
he snapped. It appeared to
be a cumulative progressive Adams’ agent previously
impairment. He was getting told The Associated Press
increasingly paranoid, he was that Adams did not partici-
having increasing difficulties pate in the array of physical
with his memory, and he was and mental health programs
very likely having more and that are available to ex-play- a seventh-round draft pick injuries and had memory is- and “numerous notebooks ...
more impulsive behaviors. ers through the NFL and its out of South Carolina State, sues and difficulty sleeping, with cryptic writing with dif-
... It may not have been rec- players’ union. and though he rarely started, said York County Coroner ferent designs and emblems”
ognized, but I doubt that this he went on to play for New Sabrina Gast at a Tuesday among Adams’ belongings,
was entirely out of the blue.” The football league and Ad- England, Seattle, Oakland news conference. according to affidavits.
ams’ agent did not immedi- and the New York Jets before
McKee, who directs the CTE ately respond to requests for finishing his career with the Adams’ sister told USA To- York County Sheriff Kevin
Center at Boston University, comment. Atlanta Falcons in 2015. day after the killings that her Tolson said police would
said that of 24 NFL players brother’s “mental health de- likely wrap up their investiga-
diagnosed with the disease CTE, which can only be di- As a rookie, Adams suffered graded fast and terribly bad” tion after examining the writ-
after dying in their 20s and agnosed through an autopsy, a severe ankle injury and in recent years and that the ing, which he termed “inco-
30s, most had stage 2, like has been found in former never played for the 49ers family noticed “extremely herent.” But he emphasized
Adams. The disease has four members of the military, again. Later, with the Raid- concerning” signs of mental that Adams’ CTE diagnosis
stages, with stage 4 being the football players, boxers and ers, he had two concussions illness, including an escalat- and the other findings so far
most severe and usually asso- others who have been sub- over three games in 2012. ing temper and personal hy- may not provide a conclusive
ciated with dementia. jected to repeated head trau- Because he didn’t retire by giene neglect. explanation behind Adams’
ma. One recent study found 2014, he wouldn’t have been alleged acts of violence.
The second stage is associat- signs of the debilitating dis- eligible for testing as part of Gast said pathologists also
ed with progressive cognitive ease in 110 of 111 NFL play- a broad settlement between found amphetamines, for “Sometimes we get to know
and behavioral abnormalities ers whose brains were in- the league and former play- which Adams had a prescrip- the why, sometimes we
such as aggression, impulsiv- spected. ers over long-lasting concus- tion, and the unregulated don’t,” Tolson said. “There’s
ity, explosivity, depression, sion-related injuries. drug kratom in Adams’ sys- one individual that knows
paranoia, anxiety, poor exec- Adams, 32, played in 78 NFL tem at time of death. the why and he’s deceased.
utive function and memory games for six teams over six The Adams family told inves- We may not know in this life,
loss, McKee said. seasons. He joined the San tigators that he complained Investigators later found on this planet what the why
Francisco 49ers in 2010 as of excruciating pain from his multiple guns, ammunition, is.”