Former Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski, who took his own life in January 2018, has tested positive for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the brain disorder commonly caused by concussions. He was 21 when he died.
Hilinski, who passed away Jan. 16, had the lowest level of CTE, per a report from Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated. The diagnosis was revealed after his family opted to send his brain to the Mayo Clinic for testing. As Bishop writes of the family receiving the results:
His toxicology report showed no trace of drugs or alcohol. The family does not blame football, but the results are the "only known factor in his death," per the report.
Hilinski took a redshirt year in 2015. He became the team's backup quarterback in 2016 and got his first real action this past season. He completed 130 of 179 attempted passes and totaled 1,176 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was expected to be the team's starter this coming season.