Family of Aldon Smith having his brain checked for CTE

The family of Aldon Smith has decided to send his brain to medical experts in Boston to see whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) played a role in the former NFL defensive lineman's death.

Smith died Saturday at the age of 36, hours after he had delivered pizzas to a homeless charity.

"As with anyone who dies so suddenly at such a young age, we understand that there is a great deal of interest in and speculation about Aldon Smith's passing and we intend to get to the bottom of it," attorneys Harry Daniels, Bakari Sellers and Wayne Kendall said Tuesday in a statement. "To that end, we have taken a number of steps including sending his brain to Boston where medical experts will examine it for CTE as well as other damage caused by years of concussions and additional trauma.

CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in athletes in contact sports, combat veterans and others exposed to repetitive head trauma. It has been known to cause violent mood swings, impulsive behavior and depression. It can only be diagnosed after death.

Full story: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49081473/family-aldon-smith-having-brain-checked-cte

I've wondered if CTE could have been the trigger / cause of some of his past, bizarre behavior. According the link, Smith's family says he suffered numerous concussions during his NFL career.