28 Facts About Mike Webster

Michael Lewis Webster was an American professional football player who was a center in the National Football League from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Mike Webster is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, class of 1997.

Mike Webster died in 2002 at the age of 50 of a heart attack, and subsequently was the first former NFL player diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Mike Webster died in 2002 at the age of 50 of a heart attack, and subsequently was the first former NFL player diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Mike Webster's doctors were of the opinion that multiple concussions during his career damaged his frontal lobe, which caused cognitive dysfunction.

Mike Webster was born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin on March 18,1952 as the second child of six children.

Mike Webster grew up on a 640-acre potato farm near Harshaw, Wisconsin.

Mike Webster attended Rhinelander High School, where he earned accolades in wrestling.

Mike Webster was the Steelers' offensive captain for nine years.

Mike Webster was honored as an All-Pro seven times and played in the Pro Bowl nine times.

An avid weightlifter, Mike Webster was known for playing with bare arms to keep opponents from grabbing his sleeves.

Mike Webster is perhaps the best known of a long line of All-Pro centers for the Steelers.

Mike Webster was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, who initially made him an offensive line coach before allowing him to return as the starting center.

Mike Webster played two seasons in Kansas City before formally announcing his retirement on March 11,1991, after a 17-year career with a total of 245 games played at center.

Mike Webster was posthumously elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mike Webster was proven to have been disabled before retiring from the NFL.

Mike Webster lived out of his pickup truck or in train stations between Wisconsin and Pittsburgh, despite friends and former teammates offering to rent apartments for him.

Nonetheless, Mike Webster continued to disappear for weeks at a time without explanation and without contact with friends and family.

Mike Webster exhibited unusual changes in behavior, and became so agitated and restless that he used electroshock weapons on himself to induce sleep.

Mike Webster was cremated and his ashes were returned to his wife and their four children.

Mike Webster was the first former NFL player diagnosed with CTE.

Mike Webster's brain resembled those of boxers with "dementia pugilistica", known as "punch-drunk syndrome".

Mike Webster played during an era when protective equipment was inferior, and head injuries were simply considered part of the game.

At the time of his death, Mike Webster was addicted to prescription medication.

Contrary to rumors, Mike Webster never admitted to using anabolic steroids during his career, even though they were legal at the time.

Mike Webster was portrayed by David Morse and Dr Bennet Omalu was portrayed by Will Smith.

Mike Webster's estate brought a lawsuit in Maryland's United States District Court against the National Football League.

The estate contended that Mike Webster was disabled at the time of his retirement, and was owed $1.142 million in disability payments under the NFL's retirement plan.