No association between age beginning tackle football, or years played and neurocognitive performance later-in-life among older National Football League retirees.

This study investigated whether the age beginning tackle football (ABTF) and total years of playing football (TYPF) are associated with neuropsychological decline later in life among older retired National Football League (NFL) players. In a sample of 19 NFL retirees aged 54–79, including 12 with follow-up evaluations up to 51 months later, no significant relationships were found between ABTF or TYPF and baseline or longitudinal neuropsychological performance across domains of executive functioning, attention/speed, language, and memory. These preliminary findings suggest that neither earlier exposure to tackle football nor longer playing duration is linked to worse neurocognitive outcomes or decline in this cohort. The study acknowledges limitations including small sample size and potential selection bias, and highlights the need for further research with larger, longitudinal samples to clarify the impact of early and cumulative football exposure on later-life brain health.