NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A little over a year after he died, retired Tennessee Titan Frank Wycheck's family announced Thursday morning their dad had a severe form of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.
He died at 52, and he was most known for his role in the Music City Miracle, which happened 25 years ago on Wednesday. The Wycheck family said then they wanted to work with experts for ongoing brain injury and CTE research.
The Wycheck family said he tested positive for Stage III CTE, which is a neurodegenerative disease. It usually comes from repeated head trauma and means long-term health issues that can lead to dementia, depression and memory loss. This can happen in people who are in high-contact sports, the military, first responders and others affected by head trauma.
"When my dad retired, I worried about him every day. I never knew if he was eating, drinking enough water, making it to important appointments, or doing anything else that a healthy-minded person would do during an average day," his daughter Madison Wycheck Nowell said. "This went on for years as we knew his health was in rapid decline. My dad explained that it felt like his brain had a thick brick wall inside that stopped his will to follow through with anything, no matter what it was or who was involved. Regardless of his CTE symptoms, I will always believe that God intervened to allow him the opportunity to enjoy our weddings, his grandkids, and all other things he truly wanted to be a part of before he left us."
Wycheck was drafted in 1993 in the sixth round by the Washington Redskins, and signed with the then-Houston Oilers in 1995. A three-time pro-bowler, many Titans fans will remember Wycheck most for the play known as the Music City Miracle. With 16 seconds remaining in the Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Wycheck took a hand-off and threw it across the field who Kevin Dyson, who ran 75-yards for the game-winning touchdown.
Wycheck caught 28 touchdowns and amassed more than 5,000 yards in his 11-year career.
His daughter said she thought her father's issues with retirement were because of missing the sport and that part of his life.
"At the time, I mistakenly attributed his struggles to missing the spotlight and camaraderie of his playing days," said Deanna Wycheck Szabo. "But now in hindsight, I understand that he was suffering from the symptoms of CTE due to the repeated trauma his brain and body endured over 11 seasons in the NFL. My father put his body on the line throughout his career. He loved the game and even more so loved his teammates. After retirement, he fought for years to bring light to his post-NFL journey and the fears he had around his struggles and symptoms that he knew wholeheartedly was CTE. He often felt forgotten and ignored, and that his situation was helpless."
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