Researchers to Test Former Ohio State Player Zach Slagle's Brain for CTE After Suicide

On Thursday morning, former Ohio State offensive lineman Zachary Slagle was found dead from a gunshot wound inside his Canton, Ohio home at the age of 31. The tragic discovery came after Slagle posted an alarming message on his Facebook account earlier Thursday that included "#checkforCTE."

Now, Slagle's brain will undergo scientific evaluation to determine if CTE was indeed threatening his wellbeing.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. Many football players have suffered from it and have killed themselves (and even others) due to complications from the disease.

Slagle’s brain was removed by the coroner’s office and will be sent to the CTE Center at Boston University for examination. Such tests cannot be performed on living people, but one of the goals of the Center is to develop a test for living patients based on ever-expanding data.

Former Ohio State teammates have gone on Twitter to express their sadness regarding the news, including tight end Jake Ballard. A Super Bowl Champion with the New York Giants, Ballard has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Slagle's family. Over $12,000 has already been raised.

CTE has been a major topic of discussion surrounding football at all levels in recent years, and Zach Slagle's tragic demise will only increase calls for research into the cumulative effects of head injuries in sports.