Chris Eitzmann was a former Harvard football captain and NFL player who died of alcohol poisoning in December 2021 at the age of 44. He had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head impacts, in the last years of his life. His story is a tragic example of how CTE and alcohol addiction can ruin the lives of athletes and their families.
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From Small-Town Nebraska to Harvard and the NFL
Eitzmann was born in Belleville, Kansas, and grew up on a farm in Hardy, Nebraska. He graduated from Chester-Hubbell-Byron High School, a school with only 50 students where he played on an eight-man football team in addition to basketball and track. He was a star athlete who earned a scholarship to Harvard University, where he played as a tight end for the Crimson from 1995 to 1999. He was a first-team All-Ivy League and first-team Successful Farming farm All-American honoree as a senior in 1999. He also graduated with a degree in psychology.
Eitzmann went undrafted in the 2000 NFL Draft, but signed with the New England Patriots as a free agent. He was roommates with Tom Brady, Matt Chatham, and David Nugent at a townhouse that Brady bought from Ty Law. He played in five games with one start for the Patriots before being placed on injured reserve with a rib injury. He then spent time with the Green Bay Packers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe before retiring from football in 2002.
The Struggle with CTE and Alcohol Addiction
After his football career, Eitzmann moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, and became a financial advisor. He also completed his M.B.A. at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 2007. However, he soon began to experience symptoms of CTE, such as memory loss, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and impulsivity. He also developed a severe alcohol addiction that spiraled out of control. He lost his job, his marriage, his friends, and his health. He tried to get help from various rehab programs, but none of them worked for him.
Eitzmann was found dead of alcohol poisoning in his apartment in Boston on December 29, 2021. His brain was donated to Boston College’s CTE Research Center, where it was diagnosed with severe Stage 2 CTE. His former Harvard teammate and roommate Chris Nowinski, who is the co-founder and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and a leading voice on sports-related brain trauma, said that Eitzmann’s death was “the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever experienced”. He also said that Eitzmann’s case showed the need for more research and awareness on CTE and its link to substance abuse.
A Legacy of Hope and Awareness
Eitzmann’s family and friends remember him as a kind, generous, intelligent, and funny person who had a bright future ahead of him. They also hope that his story will inspire others who are struggling with CTE and alcohol addiction to seek help and support. They also hope that his story will raise awareness about the dangers of head injuries in sports and the need for better prevention and treatment of CTE.
Eitzmann’s life and death are a reminder of how CTE and alcohol addiction can destroy the lives of athletes and their families. His story is also a testament to how he fought hard against his demons until the end. He will be missed by many who loved him and admired him.
