O.J. Brigance was the Special Teams captain on the Ravens Super Bowl team. He was diagnosed with ALS 5 years ago. Along with Steve Gleason on the Saints who also played Special Teams that is two NFL players with ALS not counting other retired players who have it. I read on another ALS information website that the odds of someone 38 years or younger getting ALS is 1 in 165 million in any given year. Steve Gleason is 35, O.J. is 43 who contracted the disease at 38 or sooner. Anyone who doesn't think there is direct correlation between concussions and ALS needs to have their head examined. I didn't even know about O.J. Brigance until today. The chances of getting ALS in your entire lifetime is about 1-2 in 100,000.
Here is the quote from:http://www.neurology24.com/lou-gehrigs-disease.htm
If the incidence of ALS is 2/100,000, two in every 100,000 people are diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease each year. Comparing this number to the age distribution numbers shortly outlined will tell us that the chance of getting Lou Gehrig's disease any particular year, when you are younger than 38, is about 1:165,000,000. Yes, one in 165 million people a year.
Here is the quote from:http://www.neurology24.com/lou-gehrigs-disease.htm
If the incidence of ALS is 2/100,000, two in every 100,000 people are diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease each year. Comparing this number to the age distribution numbers shortly outlined will tell us that the chance of getting Lou Gehrig's disease any particular year, when you are younger than 38, is about 1:165,000,000. Yes, one in 165 million people a year.
