NFL Headquarters Shooting: CTE Controversy Explodes After Devastating Attack

2025-07-30 00:00:31.553

On Monday evening, a 27-year-old man, Shane Devon Tamura, fatally shot four people at the NFL headquarters in Manhattan before taking his own life. Tamura, who had traveled from Las Vegas, wore body armor concealed under a suit. A three-page note found on him blamed the NFL and football for his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a debilitating brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The shooting seriously injured another NFL employee. Tamura's note reignites the long-standing debate surrounding the NFL's handling of CTE and its potential link to the sport. CTE, a progressive disease, is difficult to diagnose and is only confirmed posthumously. The NFL has faced criticism for years for downplaying the risks of head injuries, despite forming a committee to address mild traumatic brain injury as early as 1994. The deaths of several former NFL players who suffered from CTE and exhibited violent or self-harmful behavior—including Mike Webster, Dave Duerson, Junior Seau, Aaron Hernandez, and Phillip Adams—have fueled public concern. The Boston University CTE Center has found CTE in 345 out of 376 former NFL player brains examined. The NFL's response to the CTE crisis has included rule changes, safety protocols, and a promotion of flag football, as well as a $765 million settlement with former players in 2013 (without admission of liability). Although Tamura did not play in the NFL, his high school football career may have contributed to his CTE. His note suggests he may have even self-medicated with antifreeze to cope with symptoms. The shooting serves as a tragic reminder of the ongoing controversy surrounding CTE and the NFL's role in protecting its players' health.