On Tuesday, a coroner stated that the ex-NFL player responsible for six deaths in South Carolina earlier this year had “unusually severe” chronic trauma encephalopathy (CTE).

Director of CTE Center Boston University, Dr. Ann McKee looked at Phillip Adams’ brain. She concluded that Adams had Stage 2 CTE. Adams’ brain disorder was likened to Aaron Hernandez’s, who was first convicted for murder and then committed suicide in prison. Hernandez was diagnosed with Stage 3.

McKee suggested Tuesday at a press conference that Adams may have had severe frontal brain pathology. This could also be due to psychological, psychosocial, and physical factors. The combination of paranoia and poor decision-making, poor impulse control, emotional volatility, anger, and violent tendencies due to frontal lobe injury could lead to a lower threshold for someone’s homicidal behavior. However, such behavior is often multifactorial.

Adams was 32 years old when he killed Dr. Robert Lesslie 70. His wife Barbara 69 also lost two grandchildren, Adah and Noah. The incident occurred in Rock Hill on April 7, 2021.

Adams later was found by police suffering from a head injury caused by a self-inflicted shotgun wound. Adams’ family offered to test his brain at Boston University.

Adams’ family issued a statement Tuesday saying, “We can not say we are shocked by these results. However, it is shocking that he was in such severe condition.” We have reviewed his medical records and found that Adams was desperate for help. However, he was denied any claims by the NFL due to his inability remember simple things like how to travel long distances to visit doctors or undergo extensive evaluations.

McKee stated that more than 315 ex-NFL players were posthumously diagnosed as having CTE.

Adams was a star in basketball and football at Rock Hill High School. He then went on to South Carolina State. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 7th round of the NFL Draft 2010.

Adams appeared in 78 NFL games, 11 starts, and had 128 tackles. Adams also recorded five interceptions and one forced pass fumble. Adams played with the New England Patriots (then-Oakland Raiders), New York Jets. Atlanta Falcons. 49ers.

Adams played his last game in 2015 for the Falcons.

Field Level Media