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Thiel: Autopsy Finding In Hilinski Suicide A 'Game Changer'

Ted S. Warren
/
AP Photo
Washington and Washington State players and coaches join in a moment of silence, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, before an NCAA college basketball game in Seattle, in memory of WSU football quarterback Tyler Hilinski.

There are more questions than answers in the news this week that Washington State University backup quarterback Tyler Hilinski had a degenerative brain disease known as CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). He committed suicide in January.

Hilinski's death, as well as his physical and mental state before he killed himself, are the topic of this week’s conversation between KNKX sports commentator Art Thiel and 88-5’s Kirsten Kendrick.

'Startling Development'

"The whole notion that CTE was a factor in this overrides everything," Thiel said.

"It's a startling development that, I think, was unanticipated by the football and the medical community."

Thiel referred to a Sports Illustrated article and video on the search for answers in Hilinsiki's death. The autopsy done by the Mayo Clinic, released this week, reveals that the 21-year-old Hilinksi had the brain of a 65-year-old man.

"In this case, there's really no notion of previous injury that would fortell this condition," Thiel said.

"CTE has been generally considered a consequence of repeated subconcussive hits over a long period of time."

"No one understood that there's also a possibility this can occur in young people, which raises the possibility of a hereditary component in CTE."

"That throws open a whole new course of discussion and study as to whether that this is more than mere concussion."

'Game Changer'

"The results of the autopsy on Tyler Hilinski are going to change a lot of things about how we conduct football, I think," Thiel continued.

"It's also going to have an impact on many other sports."

"To know that CTE can be in young people is really a game changer."

Never miss an episode again. Subscribe to Sports With Art Thiel with iTunes orGoogle Play now. You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com.

Kirsten Kendrick hosts Morning Edition on KNKX and the sports interview series "Going Deep," talking with folks tied to sports in our region about what drives them — as professionals and people.
Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, “Out of Left Field,” which became a regional bestseller. In 2009, along with Steve Rudman and KJR 950 afternoon host Mike Gastineau, Thiel authored “The Great Book of Seattle Sports Lists,” a cross between historylink.org and Mad Magazine that has become mandatory reading for any sports fan who has an indoor bathroom.